Environment Secretary to unveil bottle deposit scheme in a victory for the ...

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Michael Gove will next week unveil plans for a recycling revolution that includes a deposit return scheme for plastic bottles.

In a victory for the Mail's war on plastic, the Environment Secretary will publish detailed proposals designed to slash waste and boost recycling.

As well as plastic bottles, the deposit scheme is also set to cover cans and glass containers.

Shoppers would pay a small deposit on every purchase which would be paid back when empties are returned in a network of 'reverse vending machines'.

Official estimates suggest the likely boost to the economy from the scheme could be as high as £2billion. 

A Whitehall source said: 'The truth is we use too much plastic and don't recycle enough. An 'all in' deposit return scheme would turbo-boost recycling across the country, help to clear our streets of litter and rid our seas and oceans of the scourge of plastic waste.'

As part of its Turn the Tide on Plastic campaign, the Mail has led calls for such a scheme to stop plastic in bottles, bags and cups blighting the countryside and endangering wildlife.