Businesses need to ensure they are prepared for the ban on
certain single-use plastic items coming into effect this weekend,
the Local Government Association says today.
Items such as polystyrene food containers and plastic cutlery
will be banned from Sunday (1 October).
The ban includes polystyrene cups and food containers, single-use
plastic cutlery and single-use balloon sticks. There will also be
a restriction on the supply of single-use plastic trays and
bowls.
The restrictions aim to reduce the amount of non-recyclable
material ending up in bins, and then on into landfill or
incineration.
Councils will have to enforce the ban locally through their
trading standards teams and want to alert businesses to these
changes.
The LGA is concerned that not enough businesses and individuals
are aware of the changes.
This risks creating costs for councils in enforcing the ban – at
a time when trading standards teams are facing resource and
workforce pressures - and continuing to collect and dispose of
material.
The LGA is also calling on the Government to go further and
introduce the new Extended Producer Responsibility to incentivise
producers to reduce waste and increase recyclable packaging.
Cllr , Environment spokesperson
for the LGA, said:
“Councils are sure that businesses want to comply with these new
regulations and keep plastic waste to a minimum.
“However, we are concerned that some local businesses and
consumers are not aware of the impending ban on these materials
and would encourage everyone to take a look at the materials
impacted by it.
“This is a valuable policy to reduce waste but there is still
more to do. We are keen the Government introduces Extended
Producer Responsibility to incentivise producers to reduce waste
and increase recyclable packaging, as well as enable councils to
work with communities to improve recycling.”
