In an article published on April 19, 2018, BBC News informed that the UK government announced plans to ban plastic drinking straws and cotton buds. Earlier this month, UK government also announced that it will allocate over 60 million pounds for supporting research and other initiatives aimed at fighting marine plastic pollution, as an article published by The Guardian informed. The UK Prime Minister Theresa May urged the Commonwealth countries to undertake similar actions aimed at reducing plastic waste.
UK government has also introduced a deposit return scheme in March 2018 (FPF reported), and a charge on single-use plastic carrier bags was introduced in 2015 (FPF reported). Currently, UK also considers taxing other single-use plastics items, such as coffee cups and takeaway food containers (FPF reported).
On April 23, 2018, an article by Jesse McKinley and Vivian Wang, published by The New York Times, informed that the New York state governor Andrew Cuomo proposed “a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags . . . to outlaw them by next year.” His proposal, however, foresees an exemption from the ban for bags that “contain raw meat, fish or poultry; bags sold in bulk; those used in bulk packages of fruit and dried goods; those used for deli products; newspaper bags; trash, food storage and garment bags; and takeout food bags.”
Read more
BBC News (April 19, 2018). “Plastic straw and cotton bud ban proposed.”
Rachel Arthur (April 19, 2018). “UK considers plastic straw ban.” Beverage Daily
Plastics News (April 20, 2018). “UK may ban plastic straws.”
Plastics News Europe (April 20, 2018). “UK planning plastic straws ban.”
Anne Perkins (April 23, 2018). “Cotton buds and plastic straws could be banned in England next year.” EurActiv
The Guardian (April 14, 2018). “Government sets aside £60m to fight scourge of plastic waste.”
Olivia Rosane (April 16, 2018). “UK pledges £61.4 million to fight ocean plastics.” EcoWatch
Plastics News Europe (April 16, 2018). “UK pledges new funding for fight against plastic pollution.”
Jesse McKinley and Vivian Wang (April 23, 2018). “Cuomo announces bill to ban plastic bags in New York State.” The New York Times
Will Bredderman (April 23, 2018). “NY governor proposes plastic bag ban.” Plastics News
Plasteurope.com (April 25, 2018). “UK pledges GBP 61.4m to fight marine litter / Bans on some single-trip plastics.”
Plasteurope.com (May 7, 2018). “New York governor floats statewide plastic bag ban / Ban also in Boston?“
