England Set to Ban Single-Use Plastic Cutlery

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The Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs has confirmed that England is set to ban single-use cutlery in an effort to reduce waste. Though the spokesperson did not divulge any additional information, they indicated that an official announcement will be made this Saturday.

According to reports from the Daily Mail, the proposed ban will extend beyond cutlery and include plastic plates, trays, bowls, balloon sticks, and specific polystyrene cups and food containers by the end of 2023.

The restriction applies to packaging for food and drinks consumed in restaurants, cafes, or as take-out orders, but excludes similar goods used for to-go orders and drinks in supermarkets and shops.

Recent Data on Single-Use Plastic

According to a 2022 UK study, a fifth of food packaging could be in landfills by 2040. In a survey of 200 experts from the food packaging industry, researchers found that polymer-based materials are expected to decrease by half in sustainable applications over the next 20 years. Meanwhile, fiber-based materials could account for 40% or more of the material used in food packaging by 2040. This study shines a light on future trends and further emphasizes the need for sustainability within this sector.

North American Initiatives

• In July 2022, the City of Toronto launched ReduceWasteTO program. The new program is the first stage of the city’s “Single-Use and Takeaway Items Reduction Strategy.”
• On June 9, 2022, the Biden administration announced a series of actions it will be taking, including the phaseout of single-use plastics in national parks and other public lands, which would reduce the procurement, sale, and distribution of single-use plastic products and packaging in 423 national parks.
• The partnership between Dicks and ClosedLoop Partners' Center for the Circular Economy