Environment campaigner, Anne Main, has been selected by MPs as chair of the new all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on the prevention of plastic waste.
'As local people know, the environment is very important to me. During my twelve years as an MP, environmental issues constantly make up most of my post bag,' said Mrs Main after she was unanimously adopted by a cross-party group of MPs to chair the APPG.
The group's mission statement was ratified during the meeting and gives a clear indication of its aims:
'To monitor the progress of the 25 Year Environment Plan in relation to plastic waste; to raise issues relating to the impact of plastic waste on our environment; and to provide a cross-party forum to work towards the minimisation of plastic waste.'
Anne said that she was 'excited' to be chairing a group that will look to 'hold the government's feet to the fire' over its environmental commitments. 'Recent announcements on the environment are very welcome, but we need to see them through. We will be monitoring the progress of the environmental plan, and looking for ways to minimise plastic waste, which blights our land and pollutes our seas.'
Other members of the group include prominent environmentalist, Zac Goldsmith, and Labour's Catherine West, who recently penned a letter to the chief executives of all major UK supermarkets which was signed by over 200 MPs, including Anne Main. The letter challenged supermarkets on what actions they were taking to reduce plastic waste and called for 'swift and decisive action.'
Watch: Anne Main, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Bangladesh, talks about the Rohingya crisis and urges support for @DECappeal pic.twitter.com/FFL0lq8O0A
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