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STATES OF JERSEY
DRAFT SINGLE-USE PLASTICS ETC. (RESTRICTIONS) LAW (JERSEY) AMENDMENT REGULATIONS 202- (P.37/2025): COMMENTS
Presented to the States on 20th June 2025
by the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel
STATES GREFFE
2025 P.37 Com.
COMMENTS
Background
The Single-Use Plastics etc. (Restrictions) Law (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202- were lodged by the Minister for Infrastructure on 6th May 2025.
As set out in the report to the amendment, the change seeks to clarify when the 70p charge minimum charge for the sale of reuseable bags applies for traders and when it does not.
The effect of this amendment is that the minimum price that a trader must charge for a recyclable plastic or paper bag does not apply to bags that are
• supplied by wholesale from one trader to another trader; or
• supplied second-hand under a trader's bag reuse scheme.1
The Panel agrees with the basis for the amendment which is to set out where exemptions to charges apply without diminishing the intent of the law which was to reduce the use of single use plastic bags.
On 13th June 2025 the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Panel received a briefing from Government officials which gave an overview of the history of the Regulations and their enforcement.
The Panel heard from officers that the policy team had reviewed the original legislation with colleagues from Trading Standards and found areas where applying restrictions didn't reflect the intention of providing a disincentive for the consumer.
It was further stated that these changes would be accompanied by communication for both Islanders and traders ahead of the implementation of the changes.
Officials also acknowledged during the hearing that there was continued work to be done, both in relation to communication and to potential extension of the scope of the law and that the approach being adopted to prioritise items by the significance of their contribution to waste streams, and where suitable alternatives exist.
Conclusion
The Panel is broadly welcoming of the amendments and continues to support the central intention of the regulations to reduce single use plastics. It further welcomes the expediency of implementing the changes at the same time as the inclusion in the law of the previously approved decision to ban single use vapes.
The Panel looks forward the further extension of the law to other items, such as single use takeaway cutlery, and – given that additional amendments may fall outside the term of the Government – would recommend to its successor that future changes be examined. It is also hoped that this work will be aligned with the forthcoming solid waste strategy. At its most recent Quarterly Hearing with the Minister for Infrastructure on 18th June 2025, the Panel heard that the strategy – albeit in a reduced form due to lack of Government capacity – was due to be completed by the end of 2025.
1 Draft Single-Use Plastics etc. (Restrictions) Law (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202- Page - 2
P.51/2024 Com.
Importantly, the Panel is keen to see the implementation of the communication plan for informing Islanders of the changes and would encourage active and co-operative engagement with traders by the Minister and officials to ensure that compliance is not onerous and enforcement is handled proportionately.
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P.37/2025 Com.