England bans single-use plastic cutlery to protect the environment

14 Jan. () –

England will ban a series of single-use plastics from October 2023, as reported this Saturday by the Ministry of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the United Kingdom in a statement.

The United Kingdom has announced a ban on single-use plastic cutlery and plates from October, as part of a campaign to reduce pollution and protect the maritime environment. The home rule governments of Scotland and Wales have already taken similar steps.

This ban will include all plastic cutlery that is available in any company, restaurant or retail take-out establishment, as well as certain types of polystyrene food containers, according to the person in charge of the Environment portfolio, Thérèse Coffey.

According to government estimates, England uses 2.7 billion plastic cutlery a year, as well as 721 million plates, but only recycles 10 percent of these.

“We all know the absolutely devastating effects that plastic can have on our environment and on wildlife,” Coffey said in the statement.

“These new bans on single-use plastics will continue our vital work to protect the environment for future generations,” he added.