Businesses will be responsible for clean-up costs if their packaging is littered, according to new UK legislation. They will also be penalized if their garbage is difficult to recycle or if they fail to meet their recycling goals. The waste-cutting measures are part of the Welsh government’s waste-cutting efforts and will take effect in 2024. Wales is rated third in the world for household recycling, with the Welsh government aiming to reuse or recycle 100% of garbage by 2050. The new “polluter pays” laws, which are being introduced across the UK, would shift the expense of dealing with packaging waste from people to businesses. Ministers hope that by doing so, businesses will be pushed to use less packaging and more easily recyclable materials. Businesses that are responsible for the most littered items will also face sanctions in Wales and Scotland. The money raised would go toward improving kerbside garbage collection.