The myths surrounding single-use plastic
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A ban on plastic cutlery, plates, and trays came into force in October 2023 – but are the ‘sustainable’ alternatives really that eco-friendly?
By Boudicca Fox-Leonard
From Sunday (1st October 2023), takeaways and restaurants in England are banned from handing out single-use plastic. New regulations mean that they can be fined £200 if they are caught giving customers plastic cutlery, polystyrene cups or containers.
And, although many are hailing it as another vital step towards the total elimination of plastic waste in Britain, there have been warnings that many businesses are not prepared and that the new rules will be too expensive to enforce.
But there is an even more fundamental question that needs to be asked: will the change actually benefit the environment?
Because the truth is, although it has been demonised by the green lobby and companies are under huge pressure to reduce or replace it, plastic is not necessarily the toxic material it is made out to be.
A decision by Lego t...
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