UK government bans straws and drinks stirrers from 2020
In a bid to reduce the UK’s plastic use, the government will introduce controls on the use of plastic straws and plastic drink stirrers from 2020.
The proposal is not an outright ban on plastic straws, but controls on their availability. Shops including supermarkets will not be able to sell the straws, but they can be bought online and at registered pharmacies by those who need them medically.
According to the announcement, bars and restaurants will not be allowed to display plastic straws or automatically hand them out but they will be able to provide them if people ask.
Plastic stirrers are subject to a total ban – currently around 316 million are used every year.
As part of today’s announcement that controls would come into effect next April, environment secretary Michael Gove said: “These items are often used for just a few minutes but take hundreds of years to break down, ending up in our seas and oceans and harming precious marine life.
“So today I am taking action to turn the tide on plastic pollution, and ensure we leave our environment in a better state for future generations.”
Environmental groups have praised the government’s move, but while some have said it’s not enough, others have said alternatives could be more damaging to the planet.
