Single use plastic ban/restrictions for businesses

The ban covers single use plastic cutlery, plates, trays and bowls, balloon sticks, polystyrene cups, and food and drink containers. There are also restrictions on other single use plastic items including straws, cotton buds and drink stirrers, and charges for carrier bags.

There are exemptions to the law, depending on the single use plastic item.

• Business Companion: single use plastics
• Gov.uk: single-use plastics bans and restrictions
• Gov.uk: carrier bag charges: retailers' responsibilities

Effect on the environment

Many of these items generate avoidable plastic waste which can then find its way into rivers and oceans and on land.

Research shows that every year, England uses:

• 4.7 billion plastic straws
• 316 million plastic stirrers
• 8 billion plastic-stemmed cotton buds
• 2.7 billion items of single use cutlery
• 721 million single-use plates