England is taking a big step toward environmental care by banning single-use plastics. This means restrictions will be implemented on selling plastic plates, cutlery, containers, balloon sticks, and more. This also goes for particular kinds of polystyrene food containers and cups.

What Will It Mean for Plastic Use?

It means that England will be able to dramatically reduce its use of plastic, but not entirely. The plastic ban will mostly affect individual consumers as they can no longer purchase plastics from restaurants, businesses, and food vendors by October 2023, according to The Verge.

The only ones exempted from the ban are the pre-packed food items that already come in plastic plates, trays, or bowls. This is due to the country's Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme, wherein the companies will have to report their packaging data.

It applies to the following, according to the country's website:

• Individual business, subsidiary, or group, from which charities are not included

• Businesses that have an annual turnover of £1 million more, depending on thei most recent annual accounts

• Business that make use of over 25 tonnes of plastic packaging from January to December

• Any business that does packaging activities

Businesses with the following packaging activities have to adhere to the policies of EPR:

• Supplies packaged goods to the UK market under its own brand

• Places goods in unbranded packaging when supplied

• Uses transit packaging to protect items during transport

• Imports products in packaging

• Hires or loans reusable packaging

• Supplies Empty Packaging

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Why the Ban is a Good Thing

It was mentioned in the country's website that England uses about 2.7 billion items that are single use cutleries which are mostly plastic. Only 10% of the of the 721 million single-use plates are being recycled yearly. 

95% of the people who reposponded to the consultations favored the bans, which help with the fact that when the 2.7 billion cutleries were lined up, it was capable of going around the globe eight and a half times.

These plastics take approximately hundreds of years before they break down. That's centuries being present in the habitats of animals and human alike. It damages the rivers, lands, and oceans. It's also one of the major sources of greenhouse gas emmissions.

Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey expressed that they were aware of the devastating impacts the plastics can have on wildlife and the environment. They have acknowledged the public's concerns and will continue to do vital work for future generations.

England has already taken steps by introducing miceobeads beforehand. Microbeads are small pieces of plastics that can be found in some care products which could harm marine life. The previous ban also apploes to single-use straws, stirrers, and cotton buds. 

Before the ban, the straws, stirrers, and cotton buds account for 5.7% of marine litter. The government is already considering other littered plastic items like wet wipes, tobacco filters, and sachets, which also cause blockages in the sewage system.

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