New single-use plastic ban takes effect in England – here's why its impact may be limited
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Monday, October 2, 2023
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In the UK, households collectively throw away an estimated 100 billion pieces of plastic packaging each year.
Key Points:
- In the UK, households collectively throw away an estimated 100 billion pieces of plastic packaging each year.
- In 2020, the UK government banned the sale of several single-use plastic products in England including straws, stirrers and cotton buds – but with exceptions for medical use.
- From October 1 2023, businesses in England are prohibited from selling several other single-use plastic products including plastic cutlery, balloon sticks and polystyrene cups.
What will the ban change?
- Plastics that are particularly difficult to recycle like polystyrene cups also have stricter rules, but with a few exceptions too.
- The new ban also doesn’t cover single-use plastic packaging.
- Single-use plastic packaging is one of the leading sources of plastic pollution in the UK.
How effective will the ban be?
- The new ban is a step towards tackling the impacts of pollution caused by single-use plastics.
- However, for such a ban to be genuinely effective, several key elements must be in place.
- This ensures that those affected understand the ban’s purpose and how its progress will be assessed, while also promoting accountability.
- The government’s new ban lacks any specific or measurable objectives.
Improving awareness
- For example, businesses were given several months after the consultation on the ban to prepare and use up excess stock.
- Adequate public awareness is also necessary to ensure everyone understands the reasons behind the ban, how it affects them, and what the available alternatives are.
- In Rwanda, where a ban on plastic bags was introduced in 2008, announcements were made on airlines and at ports of entry to inform visitors.
- In a similar way, the UK government’s recent ban is accompanied by official guidance explaining the ban’s implications.
- Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue.