Single-use plastics in UK could be banned

Cotton buds, plastic drinking straws and other single-use plastics could be banned from sale in England next year in the next phase of the campaign to try to halt the pollution of the world’s rivers and oceans.

Prime Minister Theresa May hopes to use the announcement to encourage the Commonwealth heads of government to join the fight as the meeting opened formally yesterday. “The Commonwealth is a unique organisation with a huge diversity of wildlife, and environments — so it is vital we act now,” the prime minister will say, urging all Commonwealth countries to participate.

Cotton buds, often flushed down the lavatory, are one of the most serious sources of marine pollution. They are small enough to be eaten by birds and marine life. Altogether it is estimated that there are 150m tonnes of plastic in the world’s oceans, and more than 100,000 sea mammals die from eating or getting tangled up in plastic waste.

Dramatic fall

Plastic microbeads have already been banned, and the introduction of the 5p plastic bag charge in England has led to a dramatic fall in their use: 9bn fewer bags have been distributed, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) figures show.

Michael Gove, the Defra secretary, called single-use plastics a scourge. “It is only through government, business and the public working together and the public working together that we will protect our environment for the next generation,” he said.

A consultation will start later in 2018, and a ban could be enforced as early as next year.

Meanwhile, the Scottish government announced a consultation on plans to ban the manufacture and sale of plastic-stemmed cotton buds in January. Campaigners said it would cut the country’s marine plastic pollution by half.