Overview
According to estimates, England uses 2.7 billion items of single-use cutlery — most of which are plastic — and 721 million single-use plates per year, but only 10% are recycled. If 2.7 billion pieces of cutlery were lined up they would go round the world over eight and a half times (based on a 15cm piece of cutlery). Plastic pollution takes hundreds of years to break down and inflicts serious damage to our oceans, rivers and land. It is also a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, from the production and manufacture of the plastic itself to the way it is disposed.
Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey announced in January that a range of polluting single-use plastics will be banned in England. The ban will include single-use plastic plates, trays, bowls, cutlery, balloon sticks, and certain types of polystyrene cups and food containers. From October, people won’t be able to buy these products from any business - this includes retailers, takeaways, food vendors and the hospitality industry.
Suppliers including Bunzl and CCEP will be taking part to present on what they are doing to support this change. There will be an opportunity to ask questions before and during the webinar which takes place from 2pm on the 28th of September.
