Single-use plastic cutlery and plates to be banned in England

[jgo]

Source: BBC News

Single-use items like plastic cutlery, plates and polystyrene trays will be banned in England, the government has confirmed.

It is not clear when the ban will come into effect but it follows similar moves by Scotland and Wales.

Campaigners welcomed the ban, but called for a wider-ranging plastic reduction strategy.

Government figures suggest that 1.1 billion single-use plates and more than four billion pieces of plastic cutlery are used in England every year.


Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-64205460

[dembotoz]

1. to be replaced with what?

hard to eat soup with your fingers

[friend of a friend]

2. Not if you freeze the soup.

[niyad]

26. Welcome to our DU family.

[jgo]

4. Please see following for some alternatives ...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B5QDTGTC/

https://www.amazon.com/Compostable-Wooden-Biodegradable-Supplies-Graduation/dp/B00H3DF2N2/

https://earth911.com/home-garden/eco-friendly-plastic-utensil-alternatives/

etc.

[Mosby]

12. that cutlery is made out of a type of polyester.

no thanks.

BIOCEAN 100%Compostable No Plastic Knives Plastic Forks Plastic Spoons Plastic Utensils
https://www.bing.com/search?q=polylactic+acid&form=ANNTH1&refig=4b5479cfa17f4cd78f769b22478761c8

[jgo]

16. Good catch ...

There are a lot of other options, including various vegetable fibers.

[blue-wave]

17. We have the technology

To replace almost all plastic products with biodegradable, non-thc and not harmful to humans, hemp made products. We just need the political will.

[roamer65]

20. Awwww...C'mon...non-THC???

I wanna get high off the cutlery!

[friend of a friend]

3. What about disposable diapers?

[jgo]

5. Please see the following for some alternatives ...

https://parentingmode.com/best-eco-friendly-diapers/

[friend of a friend]

7. Sounds good, do they make them for adults? I don't need them but someday I might.

[jgo]

8. Please see the following for alternatives ...

for example,

https://www.amazon.com/EcoFriendly-Adjustable-QuickDrying-Breathable-Incontinence/dp/B0929BV9PS?th=1

plus others

[Duppers]

6. Very good point....but

But wouldn't we all rather wash dishes then dirty diapers?

[paleotn]

13. Wash the damn real ones.

Got that from a friend of a friend.

[calimary]

23. Welcome to DU, friend of a friend!

Oh MAN, if only we could find an answer to THAT one...

[RobinA]

27. Yeah, They'll Pry Them

from most mothers' cold dead hands.

[Aristus]

9. The University of Washington has been using compostable plates, bowls, and cutlery for decades

in their dining halls.

[FakeNoose]

10. When I go places where I know plastic cutlery will be given, I bring my own from home

It's not hard to do, if you plan ahead. Also if you're like me and you HATE plastic forks, knives and spoons. I purchased this "picnic cutlery" that comes in a carrying case and I bring it in my purse whenever I go to places that use plastic.



There are several different versions, but I paid $12 for this and it's well worth it. Washable and reusable of course. I've had my set for years, and whenever friends see me using them, they always ask about my set. For example my German club has an outdoor Biergarten where all the servingware is plastic and disposable. That's where I normally use my own set of cutlery.

[Raine]

21. Nice, thanks for the info

I just had never thought about something like that or where I could get it.

[calimary]

24. Terrific idea! Including the case!

[RobinA]

28. I Tend To Do This

not for environmental reasons but because I despise plastic cutlery, especially the cheap stuff usually served.

[Mosby]

11. all replaced with paper and wood I suppose.

[maxsolomon]

31. Bamboo is a renewable resource.

We've got to stop creating so much non-degradable waste.

Styrofoam this, plastic that; it's got to stop.

[paleotn]

14. Good. It's about time.

I hate throw away, exists forever anything. 10,000 years from now, archeologist will be digging up our vast middens and laughing about what fools we were.

[Warpy]

15. I'd never be able to throw a dinner party there

I always used flimsy paper plates on wicker holders but I did use real flatware. I did it because while I'd stash dirty pots and pans in dishpans in the bathtub, that wouldn't extend to a bunch of plates and I preferred to stay with my guests rather than being stuck at the sink so they wouldn't have to stare at the mess (one reason I hate open plan kitchens). Paper could go right into the trash along with paper napkins and paper cups (not plastic!( and a good time was had by all.

[Xipe Totec]

18. We use 'single use plates' about 15 to 20 times

They look so nice, we can't stand to throw them out. So we wash them and use them again.

[Sparky 1]

19. Why don't they just melt them & make park benches from them?

And tables. And slides. And more.

I went to a large gathering in a park years back and they had a specially marked trash can to collect plastic cutlery to make a bench. That's what the sign on it said. So can this be done? At least with some types of plastic? Because that would be the ultimate recycling. If not, then high priority research needs to be done on it.

[maxsolomon]

32. Lots of sorting required for that idea.

LOTS of sorting required to actually do anything with recycled plastic. Many types aren't useable.

There is compostable disposable cutlery now. Works great.

[LisaM]

22. I don't use it much but I definitely re-use it.

It washes up fine, so I just wash the stuff over and over. Again, I rarely buy it. Compostable is fine, though I don't know the shelf life. We lost our doggie a few years ago, and when I went to clean out a cupboard, her old degradable bags were in there and they had completely disintegrated. I assume the cutlery doesn't do that.

[Aussie105]

25. Older folk might remember a time when plastics were new and expensive.

Only rich people had Tupperware.

How did we get by?
Glass bottles, paper bags, paper cups, paper straws, butcher's paper.
Let's go back there!

Even older people may remember the days before aluminum came into use.

The whole concept of recycling used plastics into furniture and playground equipment fell apart recently in Australia.
Turns out it was being stockpiled because there were no buyers.

I guess - they make plastics for a profit, gets used for profit, but recycling . . . needs to be profitable, which it is currently not.

[Danascot]

29. Sellers who sell plastic items or plastic containers for their products

should be assessed an impact fee that would completely subsidize the cost of recycling. As it stands there is an incentive for them to use plastic because it saves them money. The earth pays the price.

[Danascot]

30. Mycelium can be used to replace styrofoam.