As of April 2020, plastic straws and drink stirrers, and cotton buds with plastic stems, are banned from sale and distribution in England. Currently, approximately 5 billion plastic straws are used each year in the country, as well as more than 300 million plastic stirrers and circa 2 billion plastic cotton buds, with the latter often flushed down the toilet, polluting waterways and oceans. Straws and stirrers often end up as litter or are sent to landfill.
The move follows research which revealed that 80% of consumers supported a ban on plastic straws, while 90% backed a curb on environmentally harmful drink stirrers and cotton buds. Pharmacies will be able to stock these items for those with a medical need for them; as will restaurants, although they will not be able to display them.
Hugo Tagholm, chief executive of Surfers Against Sewage, 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.”
Meanwhile, Queensland in Australia is planning to ban plastic straws, making it the second state in the country to do so after South Australia’s similar proposal. The Queensland ban, set to come into force in 2021, also includes coffee cups, polystyrene cups, takeaway containers and heavyweight plastic bags after a consultation revealed broad public support to curb these polluting materials.
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As of April 2020, plastic straws and drink stirrers, and cotton buds with plastic stems, are banned from sale and distribution in England. Currently, approximately 5 billion plastic straws are used each year in the country, as well as more than 300 million plastic stirrers and circa 2 billion plastic cotton buds, with the latter often flushed down the toilet, polluting waterways and oceans. Straws and stirrers often end up as litter or are sent to landfill.
The move follows research which revealed that 80% of consumers supported a ban on plastic straws, while 90% backed a curb on environmentally harmful drink stirrers and cotton buds. Pharmacies will be able to stock these items for those with a medical need for them; as will restaurants, although they will not be able to display them.
Hugo Tagholm, chief executive of Surfers Against Sewage, 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.”
Meanwhile, Queensland in Australia is planning to ban plastic straws, making it the second state in the country to do so after South Australia’s similar proposal. The Queensland ban, set to come into force in 2021, also includes coffee cups, polystyrene cups, takeaway containers and heavyweight plastic bags after a consultation revealed broad public support to curb these polluting materials.