A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR OUR PLANET

A fresh start, a brighter future CAMPAIGN 2019 - 15 DAYS TO POLLING DAy

The Lib Dems announce war on plastics and a commitment to protecting marine life

Under the Liberal Democrats, no plastic put into a bin in the UK will end up in our oceans and the vital 'Blue Belt' network of Marine Protected areas will be expanded. By protecting our marine environment and declaring war on plastic, the Liberal Democrats will ensure a brighter future for our planet.

The Liberal Democrats have a raft of policies as part of a radical plan to end the UK's reliance on plastic.

The UK produces 2.26 million tonnes of plastic packaging every year. Less than half of this is being recycled.

The Conservatives claimed they will cut plastic pollution. They announced a deposit return scheme in 2018, but it is currently not due to be implemented until 2023. In reality, all the Tories have done is try to get headlines with piecemeal bans on straws and stirrers.

The Liberal Democrats demand better for our environment. We need a rapid plan to eliminate plastic pollution if our seas are to recover from the damage we've done.That is why the Liberal Democrats are proposing a radical plan that will end the UK's reliance on plastic.

We will ban all non-essential, single-use plastics within the first three years of government.

Our other policies include:

• Requiring all retailers to reduce the amount of plastics and non-recyclable packaging they use:

• The average UK home produces 1.1kg of waste every day. The duty should be placed on retailers to ensure that this is reduced.

• Implementing a deposit return scheme:

• This will aim to end the 15 million bottles that are littered, land-filled and incinerated daily in the UK.

• Ending plastic exports abroad by 2030:

In 2018 the UK exported 0.6 million tonnes of plastic waste. It often ends up in landfill, defeating the purpose of exporting it abroad.

"We will put the UK at the heart of global efforts to protect our marine environment."

Our marine environment is in crisis. The BBC's Blue Planet 2 have revealed the scale of the threat.

The world's beloved marine species like whales and turtles face numerous threats. Plastic pollution, over-fishing, high volumes of shipping traffic, and rising temperatures are but a few.

We must act now to ensure that our global ocean thrives for future generations to enjoy.

Over the next Parliament, we will expand the 'Blue Belt' of Marine Protected areas. By 2030, this will cover at least 50% of the UK's territorial waters. This includes overseas territories.

This policy will ensure better regulation of commercial activities, such as fishing. It will also protect biodiversity in key habitats through effective monitoring.

We will also protect and restore England's lakes, rivers and wetlands. We will reform water management and introduce higher water efficiency standards. Additionally, plastic pollution is a major threat to the marine environment. To tackle this issue, we will introduce a Zero-Waste and Resource Efficiency Act. This will encourage the transition towards a circular economy in the UK.

We will put the UK at the heart of global efforts to protect our marine environment.

This is at the heart of our plan to build a brighter future.

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