ACS has welcomed the launch of a consultation from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which is considering a ban on plastic straws, cotton buds and stirrers.

The consultation notes that in England alone, consumers use an estimated 4.7bn plastic straws, 316m plastic stirrers and 1.8bn plastic-stemmed cotton buds. A proposed ban on these items would come into force at some point between October 2019 and October 2020.

Speaking on the launch of the consultation, Environment Secretary Michael Gove MP said: “I commend retailers, bars and restaurants that have already committed to removing plastic straws and stirrers. But we recognise we need to do more. Today we step-up our efforts to turn the tide on plastic pollution and ensure we leave our environment in a better state than we inherited it.”

ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “We welcome this consultation, which is an important step in reducing the amount of single use plastic in circulation. Many convenience stores now have food service and coffee facilities in store, so it’s essential that the sector continues to play a role in promoting environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic straws and stirrers.”

The full consultation is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launches-plan-to-ban-plastic-straws-cotton-buds-and-stirrers