Government figures estimate that around 1.1 billion single-use plates and and more than four billion pieces of single-use cutlery are used in England alone each year. Not sure about you, but those are difficult stats to get our little heads around.
And it's no secret that all that disposable stuff is a pretty big burden on our environment. However, in a move aimed at tackling the 'scourge of litter' and eliminating avoidable plastic waste by 2042, the government has just banned a whole host of single-use plastic products.
As of Sunday, October 1 businesses in England are no longer allowed to sell certain plastic items including single-use plastic cutlery, balloon sticks, polystyrene cups and food containers. Biodegradable, compostable and recycled plastics are also included in the ban. Wales and Scotland have been looking at implenting similar policies.
Traders risk facing a fine if found to be breaking the new rules, though some councils and small businesses argue that they haven't had enough time to make the transition.
We haven't reached the death of plastic yet, though. There are exemptions for takeaways and other businesses that sell pre-packaged food and polystyrene will still be allowed if the contents needs further preparation like adding water, microwaving or toasting before it's consumed.
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