England to ban some single-use plastic items | Inquirer News
Plates, cutlery, etc.

England to ban some single-use plastic items

/ 05:48 AM January 15, 2023

Single-use plastic spoon and fork. STORY: England to ban some single-use plastic items

Single-use plastic spoon and fork. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

LONDON — England will ban a wide range of single-use plastic items from October, including plates and cutlery, in order to limit their “devastating” effect on the environment, the government said Saturday.

The new legislation will also cover single-use trays and certain types of polystyrene cups and food containers, the environment ministry announced.

Article continues after this advertisement

The department said England uses around 2.7 billion items of single-use cutlery per year, mostly plastic, with only one in 10 items recycled.

FEATURED STORIES

Environmental policy is a devolved issue for the governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The UK government in London sets policy in England.

Similar legislation has already been passed in Scotland and Wales.

Article continues after this advertisement

Criminal offense

Repeated breaches of the ban could end up constituting a criminal offense with offenders running the risk of a fine, said the department.

Article continues after this advertisement

“We all know the absolutely devastating impacts that plastic can have on our environment and wildlife,” said UK Environment Secretary Therese Coffey.

Article continues after this advertisement

“We have listened to the public and these new single-use plastics bans will continue our vital work to protect the environment for future generations,” she added.

The ban will not extend to supermarket ready meals, said the government.

Article continues after this advertisement

Encouraging move

Matt Hood, managing director at supermarket chain Co-op, welcomed the ban.

“We have been at the forefront of eradicating unnecessary plastic, so it is encouraging to see this ban being introduced and we have already removed plastic cutlery from our food to go, offering wooden forks instead,” he said.

But environmental group Greenpeace UK said the plans did not go far enough.

“Whilst it’s welcome that the government’s finally banned certain items, we’re dealing with a plastic flood, and this is like reaching for a mop instead of turning off the tap,” said Megan Randles, political campaigner for Greenpeace UK.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

“It’s time to stop pandering to industry lobbyists; stop promoting false solutions; and stop dumping our plastic waste in countries that have done the least to cause the climate crisis,” she added.

RELATED STORIES

Germany bans single-use plastic straws, food containers

Dubai to charge for single-use plastic bags

DOH in Ilocos bans single-use plastics in health facilities

TAGS:

No tags found for this post.
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.