The U.K. Propose a Ban on Plastic Straws, Stirrers and Cotton Buds

The U.K. government plans to prohibit the sale of plastic straws, stirrers, and plastic-stemmed cotton buds this year in a bid to cut plastic waste, Theresa May has announced.

May credited the British public with showing “passion and energy embracing our plastic bag charge and microbead ban” and labelled the U.K. as a “world leader” on talking plastic waste.

May’s statement added that “plastic waste is one of the greatest environmental challenges facing the world, which is why protecting the marine environment is central to our agenda at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Together we can effect real change so that future generations can enjoy a natural environment that is healthier than we currently find it.”

This comes after a UK government report was released last month that predicted that plastics could triple within the next 7 years if action isn’t taken, while the World Wide Fund for Nature found that the UK uses 13.2 billion cotton buds a year, which is more than any other EU country, as well as 42 billion straws and 44 billion stirrers.

Julian Kirby, lead campaigner at Friends of the Earth, has welcomed the proposal, but added that the “only long-term solution is a complete phase-out of all but the most essential plastics”.