England ban on plastic straws and cotton buds proposed

The UK Government is planning to ban plastic straws, stirrers and plastic-tipped cotton buds in a further acceleration of its war on the waste material. The ban will initially only apply to England.

Prime Minister Theresa May made the announcement today at the start of a major Commonwealth meeting in London. Earlier this week, Climate Action reported that the UK was also pledging £61 million to fund initiatives to tackle plastic waste in Commonwealth nations.

The move also forms part of the government’s new 25 Year Environment Plan launched earlier this year which aims to remove all avoidable plastic waste by 2042.

In a statement, Mrs May said plastic waste is “one of the greatest environmental challenges facing the world.”

“The UK government is a world leader on this issue, and the British public have shown passion and energy embracing our plastic bag charge and microbead ban, and today we have put forward ambitious plans to further reduce plastic waste from straws, stirrers and cotton buds.”

It’s estimated that 8.5 billion plastic straws are thrown away each year in the UK, many of which make their way into rivers, seas, and oceans. A consultation on the ban will be launched by the Environment Secretary Michael Gove later this year. The government signalled its intention to work with industry to develop alternatives and ensure a minimum of disruption to businesses. The ban will also not apply for medical reasons.

Mr Gove commented: “Single-use plastics are a scourge on our seas and lethal to our precious environment and wildlife so it is vital we act now.”

“We’ve already seen a number of retailers, bars and restaurants stepping up to the plate and cutting plastic use, however it’s only through government, businesses and the public working together that we will protect our environment for the next generation – we all have a role to play in turning the tide on plastic.”