The date for banning plastic straws and cotton buds has been confirmed

The topic of banning plastic straws and cotton buds has been under debate for some time, but now a date has finally been confirmed, and it isn't that far off. In an announcement made by Environment Secretary Michael Gove, a ban on the supply of certain plastic items in England will start next year.

However, there will be some exemptions, for example for those who have a medical need or disability, in which case they can be purchased from a registered pharmacy, or requested at a restaurant or bar. After the ban, which will start in England in April 2020, food outlets will no longer be able to display plastic straws, or hand them out automatically.

This announcement comes after a consultation took place revealing that 80% of those asked backed a ban on the distribution and sale of plastic straws. The report also found that a massive 90% backed a ban on drinks stirrers, with 89% supporting a ban on cotton buds.

The ban on plastic straws and other items previously mentioned will have a big impact on the environment, as it's currently estimated that 5 billion plastic straws are used every year in the UK. In addition to that, 300 million plastic stirrers and nearly 2 billion cotton buds which have plastic stems are used.

With thousands of cotton buds being flushed down the toilet, many find their way into the UK rivers and sea, putting the wildlife at risk.

At present the ban will only come into place in England in April 2020, however Scotland is taking steps to restrict or ban plastic straws, with the Welsh government considering similar measures.

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• plastic straws