UK consumers could face paying a deposit on drinks bottles and cans that is repaid when they hand them in for recycling, under plans to tackle plastic waste.
Theresa May's government intends to introduce a deposit return scheme for single use drinks containers, such as plastic and glass bottles and aluminium cans, subject to consultation.
The move aims to boost recycling rates and cut litter, and comes amid increasing concern over the issue of single use plastic waste, much of which ends up as rubbish polluting the countryside and oceans.
Similar measures were discussed by TDs in the Dáil earlier this year.
UK consumers use an estimated 13 billion plastic drinks bottles a year, but more than three billion are incinerated, sent to landfill or end up as litter in towns, the countryside and the seas.
Denmark, Sweden and Germany already have deposit return schemes, which charge an upfront deposit on drinks containers that is redeemed when the empty bottle or can is returned.
The consultation will look at how such a scheme could work in England, alongside other measures to increase recycling rates, which have stalled in recent years.
Officials said they wanted to talk to the devolved administrations about the scope for working together on the issue.
Options for a scheme could include providing cash rewards for returning bottles and cans without an upfront deposit, through "reverse vending machines" where consumers insert the container and get coins in return.
The British government said it would only take forward options from the consultation that demonstrate they offer clear benefits, are resistant to fraud, and where the costs to businesses, consumers and the taxpayer are "proportionate".
