Single-use plastic cutlery and plates banned in England | plastic

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The government has confirmed that single-use items such as plastic cutlery, plates and trays will be banned in England in a bid to reduce pollution.

Figures show that every year England uses around 1.1 billion single-use plates and 4.25 billion pieces of this cutlery, of which only 10% is recycled after use.

Plastic items related to prepared food and drink, including food containers and cutlery, make up the largest share of litter in the world’s oceans, according to research.

Now Environment Secretary Therese Coffey is set to ban a range of single-use plastics, confirming reports from last month.

The move follows a consultation on the issue by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) that ran from November 2021 to February 2022.

“It can take 200 years for a plastic fork to decompose, which is two centuries in a landfill or polluting our oceans,” Coffey said.

“I am determined to drive work forward to tackle this problem head-on. We have already taken great strides in recent years – but we know there is more we need to do, and we have again listened to the calls from the public.

“This new ban will have a huge impact in stopping the pollution of billions of plastic items and helping to protect the natural environment for future generations.”

On Saturday, the response to the consultation on proposals to ban single-use plastics that are commonly littered in England is due to be released. The Guardian understands that plastic cutlery, plates and trays will be included in the ban.

Similar bans have already been imposed in Scotland and Wales, while the UK government banned single-use plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds in England in 2020.

However, the new move appears not to be comprehensive. According to the Daily Mail, the ban will cover plastic plates, bowls and trays used for food and drink eaten in a restaurant, cafe or takeaway but not in places such as supermarkets and convenience stores.

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According to the November 2021 advisory document, this is because in the latter case items would be classified as “primary packaging”, which the government says it is processing by other means.

Banning single-use plastics has previously been welcomed as a move by activists, although some have criticized the slow pace of progress and limited scope of such bans, while others have stressed the need to focus on reducing waste at source. .

Megan Randles, political campaigner with Greenpeace UK, welcomed the move but warned: “It’s like reaching for a doormat instead of turning off the tap.

“We need the government to deliver a meaningful strategy to reduce plastic use, which means achieving plastic reduction targets and an appropriate reuse and refill plan.”

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