Madeleine Kirk Backs Bill Tackling Excess Packaging

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 24th Oct 2007

Madeleine Kirk, Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson for York Outer, is backing the Packaging (Reduction) Bill, introduced by Lib Dem Jo Swinson MP, which aims to tackle over packaging by food manufacturers and supermarkets.

On Monday this week, it was reported that as much as 40% of packaging from supermarkets cannot be recycled after unpacking.

Jo Swinson called for the establishment of a national body to enforce packaging reduction and improvements to packaging regulations to assist the public in recycling.

Miss Swinson said on Tuesday 'Despite increases in recycling, domestic waste has risen by a fifth since 1997. This bill will give consumers the right to send their packaging back to the manufacturers, and help Trading Standards Officers to clamp down on waste.'

Madeleine supports the measure adding 'Local people of York have been fantastic in taking recycling on board. It is extremely unfortunate that these effects could be cancelled out by excess and over packaging put in place by big business.'

The report earlier this week however, found that your local retailer and market is most likely to have a high amount of recyclable packaging at 79%.