Single-use plastic items including cutlery and plates are due to be banned in England, as the UK government seeks to curb the problem of waste polluting rivers and seas.
Environment secretary Thérèse Coffey is preparing to announce plans to phase out the items and replace them with biodegradable alternatives in the coming weeks, following similar moves by the Welsh and Scottish governments.
More than 4bn items of cutlery and more than 1bn plates involving single-use plastic are disposed of every year in England. Even though it is possible to recycle these objects, the vast majority still end up in landfill or as litter, as part of the country’s throwaway culture.