Government set to ban single-use plastic plates and cutlery in England

[Celerity]

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/single-use-plastic-ban-plates-cutlery-england-b952790.html



Single-use plastic plates, cutlery and polystyrene cups could be banned in England under plans to further cut environmentally damaging waste. A public consultation on banning the items will be launched in the autumn, with the aim of businesses using more sustainable alternatives and cutting polluting plastic litter. Each person uses 18 single-use plastic plates and 37 single-use plastic items of cutlery each year in England, according to figures from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Thanks to the durability of plastic, items used for a few minutes can last for centuries in landfill or as litter in the countryside or ocean, it warned. Around the world, more than one million birds and more than 100,000 sea mammals and turtles die every year from eating plastic waste or getting tangled in it. The proposals follow a ban of microbeads in rinse-off personal care products, reducing the number of plastic bags being used and restricting the supply of single-use plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds. Defra said the latest plans would build on the success of those measures and form part of the Government’s commitment to prevent all avoidable plastic waste by the end of 2042.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said: “We’ve all seen the damage that plastic does to our environment. It is right that we put in place measures that will tackle the plastic carelessly strewn across our parks and green spaces and washed up on beaches. “We have made progress to turn the tide on plastic, banning the supply of plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds, while our carrier bag charge has cut sales by 95% in the main supermarkets. “Now we are looking to go a step further as we build back greener. These plans will help us stamp out the unnecessary use of plastics that wreak havoc with our natural environment.”

Jo Morley, head of campaigns at City to Sea, said: “We welcome the news that the Government are taking steps to tackle some of the most polluting single-use items. This is a much-needed move, that we as campaigners have been calling for, along with thousands of our supporters and members of the public. “We need now to take a leading role in banning unnecessary single-use plastics to see real benefits for the nation’s and the world’s wildlife.”

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[Judi Lynn]

1. Wonderful! Thank you, celerity. ⭐️

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. We should have done this, like 10 years ago! So much damaging plastic in all the oceans.

It's horrifying and disgusting.

[bbernardini]

3. I'm pretty sure I'm still using McDonald's cutlery from 5-10 years ago.

But this is still a good thing.

[Tomconroy]

4. Never liked them.

[ffr]

5. I never understood the concept of bulding up so much trash anyway.

How lazy do you have to be that when you go camping you can't wash your metal utensils?

[Dream Girl]

6. Won't this use a lot of water? Plates and cutlery need to be washed after each use.

[Shermann]

8. I doubt there would be a measurable impact

Most of the time when you run the dishwasher, there is unused capacity for more utensils.

[Dream Girl]

12. But many outlets that are now providing single use are not washing dish ware. Multiply that

By thousands a restaurants. That’s a lot of water. Living in a drought zone, that don’t seem optimal.

[Shermann]

15. I believe most restaurants already have dishwashers nt

[meadowlander]

9. There are good biodegradeable alternatives now.

Waxed paper and cardboard plates and bamboo cutlery are fine for disposables. No grown adult needs to drink from a straw (unless they have medical issues and then they can have their own washable plastic one).

I think the market they are replacing is disposable picnic plates/cutlery etc. or for when the power/water is out in a storm, not everyday plates you can wash with the normal dishes.

[LakeArenal]

7. They just banned styrofoam here in Cosata Rica

They banned plastic bags so people have cloth bags. The problem, it turns out, is some folks never was them and store clerks are getting grossed out how filthy some bags that are put on the counter.

People.

[moonscape]

11. A bagger at Nob Hill Foods (here on the central CA coast)

complained about this when some months back I asked when we would be able to bring our own bags in again. They were forcing us to buy paper bags when I have a cartload of reusables. He said he hoped they never did and complained how awful it was having to touch so many dirty bags. Well, let us bag 'em. I'm fine if you don't want to touch a reusable, I was bagging my own groceries since living in Germany in the 70's! No he said, customers take too much time and it slows down the line.

Can't win.

[Moebym]

10. I've resolved to no longer order takeout or delivery from

restaurants that use styrofoam takeout containers or won't obey my requests to leave out plastic cutlery. I'm also considering buying reusable straws and cutlery to carry with me.

It makes me ill to see public trash cans filled to overflowing with plastic waste of all sorts, so I want to at the very least not contribute to the problem.

[smirkymonkey]

13. We have cutlery at work in our cafe (and it is also for sale at many markets) that looks like

plastic, but it is compostable (and we have compost bins) we also have cups and food containers that are compostable as well.

Our site is working on being a zero waste site by the end of next year and we are almost there.

[Celerity]

14. +1

[Maraya1969]

16. I never ask for utelsils when I order food and if I am able I ask NOT to be given utensils

but so many times the food comes with a pack of knife, spoon and fork and I don't know what to do with it!!!!!

I've give some to the homeless when we deliver food but damn you can't even recycle the stuff.

If anyone has any ideas please shared.

I know Whole Foods uses utensils made from recycled plastic.

[Crepuscular]

17. Multiple uses

We don't get takeout very often, although that increased slightly with Covid but I have to say I love the plastic containers that the Chinese place that we order from, use. Heavy duty plastic with sealing lids, multiple shapes and sizes, they are great for sorting and storing nuts, bolts, washers, screws, etc. in the workshop. Plastic cutlery gets saved and re-used for spreading epoxy, glue and other liquids (although popsicle sticks work best for that, they get saved, as well).