Submitted by Susannah Cook on Thu, 2023-08-17 13:35
From 1 October 2023 businesses must no longer supply, sell or offer certain single-use plastic items in England.
The full guidance on what is included in the ban is here.
We have summarised this below:
Polystyrene food and drink containers
Ready-to-consume food and drink in polystyrene containers must not be supplied. Food and drink that requires further preparation including adding water, microwaving and toasting can still be offered in polystyrene containers.
Cutlery
The supply of single-use plastic cutlery is banned with no exemptions, this includes bioplastics.
Plates, bowls and trays
Single use plastic plates, bowls and trays must not be supplied, unless the items are packaging. For example, a pre filled salad bowl, a plate filled at the counter of a canteen or a tray used to deliver food.
How does this affect the University?
The majority of the requirements in the upcoming ban are already complied with at the University. Bioplastic cutlery that is currently in use will be replaced by wooden alternatives and no polystyrene is used in any UCS run outlets, who plan to go further than the legislation requires by replacing bioplastic packaging with paper bags.
How does this affect you?
Although this ban will have minimal impact on staff at the University, it is a great opportunity to think about how to reduce your consumption of single use (not just plastic) products. If you are eating in a canteen, make use of crockery and reusable cutlery. Bring your water bottle or reusable cup for drinks, rather than using single use alternatives.
This ban builds on previous efforts by the Government to eliminate avoidable plastic waste, including:
- The ban on microbeads in rinse-off personal care products in 2018
- Restrictions on the supply of single-use plastic straws, drink stirrers and cotton buds in 2020
- The Plastic Packaging Tax in April 2022
- The single use carrier bag 5p charge in 2015
Written by: Benjamin Gulliver, Environmental Sustainability Coordinator