Government Signals Plans to Ban Single-Use Plastics

24 November 2021

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The Environment Secretary George Eustice recently announced a potential ban on single-use plastic items, including cutlery, plates, cups and food and drink containers.

Estimates show that England uses over 4.25 billion items of single-use cutlery annually--with just 10% being recyclable after disposal.

A 12-week consultation by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was created to urge both businesses and consumers to shift to more environmentally sustainable alternatives, which aligns with a request for evidence of additional sources of plastic pollution across the country. Find out more here

The findings of the request, along with feedback from the consultation, will no doubt serve to inform legislation moving forward, as the UK seeks avenues for a more responsible and sustainable adoption of single-use products.

Despite growing messaging from government and awareness groups to help inform consumer choices, it is felt that changes in production must be implemented to facilitate substantive change across the supply chain. 

Recently, national retailers have sought to put forth a unified effort to reduce the use of plastic nationally, in joining the UK Packaging Pact, which is a contingent of major retailers and brands whose products account for 85% of the plastic packaging bought in UK supermarkets.

Learn more about the effects of single-use plastic by reading our blog: The Global Challenges Posed by Single-Use Packaging

Looking to reduce your plastic packaging use? We’re on hand to provide expert consulting services and guide you through the transition to greater packing efficiency and high-performance, environmentally sustainable alternatives. To find out more, send us a message, or call 01543 396700 today.

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