Single-use plastic plates and cutlery will be banned in England, government reveals

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Single-use plastic plates, cutlery and polystyrene cups are to be banned in England, under government plans confirmed by Environment Secretary Therese Coffey.

The government will take action to ban a range of disposable foods and drinks known to pollute rivers and oceans due to low recycling rates by the end of 2023.

Responses to a lengthy government consultation on proposals to ban certain plastic items are due to be published next week, including plastic cutlery, trays and bowls.

“A plastic fork can take 200 years to decompose, that's two centuries in landfill or polluting our oceans," Ms Coffey told the Mail on Sunday of the plan.

She said: " I am determined to push forward actions to tackle this problem head-on. th. We have already taken important steps in recent years, but we know that there is still much to do and we have again listened to the calls of the public.

"This new ban will have a huge impact in stopping the pollution of billions of pieces of plastic and help protect the natural environment for future generations," the environment secretary added.

The governments of Scotland and Wales have already banned many single-use food and drink plastics. The planned ban for England will cover polystyrene cups and other items in cafes and takeaway outlets, according to the Mail.

However, it should not cover the type of plastic plates and bowls that are used as packaging for take-out food in supermarkets and other stores.

This is because such plastics would be considered " primary packaging" and will be covered by a scheme to make manufacturers pay projected disposal costs in 2024.

Environmentalists have welcomed the move, but warned it does not go far enough in eliminating the unnecessary use of plastic. "It's like reaching for a mop instead of turning off the tap," said Megan Randles of Greenpeace UK.

She added: "We need the government to put in place a meaningful reduction strategy plastic, which means incorporating plastic reduction targets and an appropriate re-use and refill programme."

Allison Ogden-Newton, chief executive of charity Keep Britain Tidy, said it was "definitely a step in the right direction".

< p>She added, "As a society, we need to wean ourselves off all single-use items, which take up a lot of res...