The government has confirmed that single-use items such as plastic cutlery, plates and polystyrene trays will be banned in England.
The date the ban will come into effect is not yet clear, but environment secretary Therese Coffey, said the move would help protect the environment for future generations.
Government figures suggest that 1.1 billion single-use plates and over four billion pieces of plastic cutlery are used in England every year, which often ends up in landfill and does not decompose.
The confirmation of the move from Defra follows a long consultation, which will be published tomorrow (Saturday 14 January, 2023).
Therese Coffey commented: “I am determined to drive forward action to tackle the issue head on. We’ve already taken major steps in recent years – but we know there is more to do, and we have again listened to the public’s calls.
“This new ban will have a huge impact to stop the pollution of billions of pieces of plastic and help to protect the natural environment for future generations.”
