Gove: I’m cutting back on plastic for Lent

MICHAEL Gove yesterday promised he would give up single-use plastics for Lent. The Environment Secretary appeared before the environment food and rural affairs committee with what appeared to be a plastic cup. Mr Gove, pictured, said he would ‘seek to minimise’ his plastic use in the run-up to Easter. ‘I said that I would reduce my use of single-use plastic,’ he told MPs. In fact, the cup Mr Gove was using was made from polylactic acid – a compostable, plantbased material introduced to Parliament last year to replace single-use plastic items. But environmental campaigners say there are still issues around biodegradable products – many of which do not break down easily in the environment.