Supermarkets, retailers and drinks companies should be forced to

pay significantly more towards the recycling of the plastic packaging

they sell, an influential committee of MPs has said.

Members of the Environmental Audit Committee called for a

societal change in the UK to reduce the 7. 7bn plastic water bottles used

each year, and embed a culture of carrying reusable containers which 【M1】__________

refilled at public water fountains and restaurants, cafes, sports centres

and fast food outlets.

British consumers use 13bn plastic bottles a year, but only 7.5bn are

recycled. MPs said the introduction of a plastic bottle deposit return

scheme (DRS) was key to reduce plastic waste in the UK, as part of a 【M2】_________

series of measures to reduce littering and increase recycling rates.

Michael Gove, the environment secretary, has called for evidence on

plastic bottle deposit scheme, and it is expected to be part of measures 【M3】_________

he announced in the new year. Major retailers have not yet announced

to support such a scheme, and Iceland and the Co-op recently announced 【M4】_________

their backing for the DRS. The report publishing on Friday underlines 【M5】_________

the need for government intervention to tackle with plastic waste in the 【M6】_________

UK and calls for higher charges on companies to attribute to clearing up 【M7】_________

the waste they create. Mary Creagh, a chair of the Environmental 【M8】_________

Audit Committee, said, “Urgent action is needed to protect our

environment from the devastated effects of marine plastic pollution, 【M9】_________

which, unless it continues to rise at current rates, will outweigh fish by 【M10】________

1. Plastic bottles make up a third of all plastic pollution in the sea

and are a growing litter problem on UK beaches. We need action at

individual, council, regional and national levels to turn back

the plastic tide.”

【M5】