News
Plastic knives, forks, and plates could soon join plastic straws in being banned in England
Each year, around five million tons of plastic is used across the UK
The government could be set to permanently ban plastic cutlery and plates in England, it’s being reported today.
According to reports, Environment Secretary George Eustice is planning a consultation regarding a ban on all throwaway cutlery in the hope that it will eventually help reduce the amount of plastic used each year in the UK, which currently stands at around five million tons.
The Government will present its Environment Bill later this year, which will include policies that contain incentives for companies to use plastic alternatives and more recyclable materials.
Brian Yurasits / Unsplash
A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) spokesperson said: “Our landmark Environment Bill will give ministers the power to introduce deposit return schemes for plastic drinks containers and make companies more responsible for the packaging they produce, incentivising them to use more recyclable materials and to meet higher recycling targets.
“The Bill will also make it easier for ministers to place charges on single-use plastic items that threaten our ecosystems, and we are currently exploring options for which items to target next.”
Other rules being introduced include a tax on companies who do not have one-third recycled material in packaging from next spring – almost half of the plastic waste comes from packaging.
There’s already a widespread ban on supplying plastic straws, stirrers and plastic-stemmed cotton buds across England, something that came into force last October.
Here in Greater Manchester, the first city-region wide plan to drive down avoidable single-use plastics was launched – PlasticFreeGM asks businesses, organisations and individuals to pledge to take action to reduce avoidable single use plastics across the region.
They also work with campaigning partners to provide information and advice to guide more sustainable choices.
For more information and to see how you can reduce your plastic use, visit the official PlasticFreeGM website.