The government has confirmed that plastic straws, cotton buds (with plastic stems ) and drink stirrers will be banned from sales and use in England from April 2020.
This step is hoped to massively reduce the litter and other environmental impact of 5 billion plastic straws, 300 million plastic stirrers and 2 billion cotton buds with plastic stems used each year. A large amount of these items are flushed down the toilets each year or end up in litter this means they are flooding the waterways with plastic putting wildlife at great risk.
There will be alternative items which will replace the plastic items such as serving drinks with no straws or with paper straws and biodegradable products to replace plastic stirrers and cotton buds.
A government meeting found over 80% of respondents supported the ban on the making and sale of plastic straws. On the other hand, nine out of 10 people wanted a ban on drink stirrers and a similar number supported the ban of plastic cotton buds.
Michael Gove, the environment secretary, said: “Urgent and decisive action is needed to tackle plastic pollution. These items are often used for just a few minutes, but take hundreds of years to break down.”
Campaigners embraced the government’s move. Hugo Tagholm, chief executive of Surfers Against Sewage, which campaigns against plastic pollution, said: “Stopping the production and distribution of these single-use plastic menaces will prevent them from polluting beaches nationwide. It’s a really positive and bold step in the right direction against plastic pollution.”
Shops including supermarkets will not be allowed to sell plastic straws but they will be on sale at registered pharmacies in stores and online.
Millions of pounds could be saved annually on clean-up efforts of used plastics. It is estimated that 150 tonnes of plastics end up in the world’s oceans every year. It is also estimated that one million birds and over 100,000 sea mammals die from eating and getting tangled in plastic waste.
This week the European Union have accepted plans to ban a longer list of items such as plastic straws, plastic cutlery and plastic plates by 2021.
