The BBC reported on Jan. 9 that the British government confirmed that items such as single-use plastic cutlery, plates and trays will be banned in England.
It is unclear when the ban will take effect, but Scotland and Wales have already taken similar initiatives, the report said. British Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Tracey Coffey said the move would help protect the environment for future generations. Activists welcomed the ban, but called for broader measures to reduce the use of plastic.
Government figures reportedly show that 1.1 billion disposable plates and more than 4 billion pieces of plastic cutlery are used in England each year. Plastic waste often does not decompose and survives for years in landfills. While this may be useful in terms of food hygiene, it can also end up as garbage, which in turn contaminates soil and water.
According to reports, the British Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for this long consultation, will be officially announced on January 14, the initiative. The department's data show that in England, each person uses an average of 18 single-use plastic plates and 37 pieces of plastic cutlery per year, and only 10 percent of these plastic products are recycled.
Coffey said it will ban a range of single-use plastic products associated with take-out food and beverages. She said, "I am determined to move forward with action to tackle this problem head on. We've taken significant initiatives in recent years - but we know there's more to be done, and we've listened again to the public."
She said, "This new ban will have a huge impact, preventing pollution caused by billions of pieces of plastic waste and helping to protect the natural environment for future generations."
England has reportedly banned the use of single-use plastic straws, stir sticks and cotton swabs from 2020. However, this latest measure does not include goods sold in supermarkets or stores. The British government says it will address these issues in other ways.
