Single-use plastic ban comes into force in England
Business
The ban also includes single-use plastic trays, bowls and balloon sticks
(Web Desk) - Shops, takeaways and food vendors will no longer be able to use single-use plastic items including plastic trays, bowls and balloon sticks. Certain types of polystyrene cups and containers are also covered by the ban.
A ban on single-use plastic plates and cutlery and certain types of polystyrene cups and containers came into force in England.
It follows a similar move by Scotland last year, while a ban in Wales comes in later this month.
The ban also includes single-use plastic trays, bowls and balloon sticks, with the Westminster government stated aim one of reducing plastic pollution.
Bally Singh, who runs Hooked Fish and Chips in west London, is having to swap from polystyrene to cardboard containers and cups at a cost of nearly £1,000 a year.
He said: "I agree with the change, we need to be more sustainable in regard to our planet but it is a lot for us, a small business.
"We've got to make a change so quick, it's all of a sudden. I don't feel there's a lot of variety out there that we can choose from.
"We've had to absorb the cost - I can't pass it onto customers. We've increased our prices already because fish has gone up, the price of oil, electricity, gas has gone up - how much can we pass on to our consumers?"
According to estimates, England uses 2.7 billion items of single-use cutlery, most of which are plastic, and 721m single-use plates per year, but only 10% are recycled.
The average person uses 37 single-use pieces of cutlery and 18 single-use plastic plates every year.
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Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey, who announced the ban in January, said then: "We all know the absolutely devastating impacts that plastic can have on our environment and wildlife.
"We have listened to the public and these new single-use plastic bans will continue our vital work to protect the environment for future generations.
"I am proud of our efforts in this area, we have banned microbeads, restricted the use of straws, stirrers and cotton buds and our carrier bag charge has successfully cut sales by over 97% in the main supermarkets."
