Future Of British Business
England to Ban Single-Use Plastic Cutlery, Plates From October
- Polystyrene cups and food containers also being phased out
- England uses some 2.7 billion plastic cutlery items per year
Plastics are a growing environmental problem worldwide because they often doesn’t decompose and can take centuries to break down.
Photographer: Jim Young/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The UK said it will ban single-use plastic cutlery and plates in England from October as part of a drive to reduce plastic pollution and protect the marine environment.
Under the new rules, retailers and restaurants also won’t be able to sell single-use plastic plates, trays and balloon sticks or some types of polystyrene cups and food containers, Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey said on Saturday in a statement. The Scottish and Welsh devolved governments have already taken similar action.