WQ81986 (e) Tabled on 27/01/2021

Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's plans to tackle microplastic pollution in Wales?

Answered by Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs | Answered on 05/02/2021

The Welsh Government is supporting the UK-led Microplastics in Sediment Expert Group (MPEG) through OSPAR – the mechanism by which 15 governments and the EU cooperate to protect the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic.

This group is developing a new indicator for microplastics in marine sediment, which will allow for both a spatial and temporal assessment and will form part of the UK Marine Strategy suite of marine litter indicators.

The Welsh Government has also commissioned an evidence review, by the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH), into the spread of antimicrobial resistance in the rural water environment in Wales, and this will consider microplastics.  

The UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) programme has carried out a literature review, with aims to further investigate zero harm from plastics in the water industry. This will complement existing research by UKCEH, which reviewed the risks of microplastics in drinking water, wastewater and sludge from wastewater treatment. 

Dŵr Cymru is also involved in research into microplastics through the UKWIR. A current study aims to better understand the fate of plastics in the sewerage system.

The risk to drinking water is very small. However, Welsh water companies and regulators constantly review the data to assess any impact and help reduce their presence.

Last year, we undertook an extensive public engagement exercise to support the development of our Beyond Recycling strategy. The final strategy will set out our ambitions and actions to help Wales move to a circular economy. Where plastic pollution, together with all other forms of waste is avoided and resources are kept in use as long as possible. This is a key part of the action needed on climate change and also brings considerable economic opportunities as part of the transition to a low carbon economy.    

Tackling plastic pollution is a crucial part of our efforts and a comprehensive and ambitious approach will be needed. However, the issues associated with plastic pollution also apply to other materials – using an item once or not disposing of materials correctly cause environmental pollution and waste valuable resources.   A strategic approach needs to address this issue not just for plastic, but also for other materials, recognising that the single-use nature of our consumption is a core part of the problem.  

It should be noted that Part 1 of the UK Government’s Internal Market Act, leaves the ambit of the devolution settlement in Wales uncertain and undermined. It could be interpreted as impeding the Senedd from legislating to prevent products which contribute to microplastic pollution and which are produced in or imported into England or Scotland from being sold in Wales, if they could be lawfully sold elsewhere in the UK. That is one of the reasons why the Welsh Government is mounting a legal challenge to the Act.