Britain plans to ban plastic straws, drink stirrers and cotton buds next year

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A ban on use of plastic straws, drink stirrers and cotton buds could be in place by the end of next year, as part of government plans to curb the escalating problem of plastic clogging up Britain's waterways. Michael Gove, the environment secretary, has vowed to "turn the tide on plastic pollution" by stamping out the use of 4.7 billion plastic straws, 316 million plastic stirrers and 1.8 billion plastic-stemmed cotton buds in England each year, many of which end up in rivers and seas. The ban was trailed earlier this year, but it drew criticism from some disability rights campaigners, as straws are vital to help people with conditions such as Parkinson's disease or muscular dystrophy to consume food and drink safely.

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The government will now consult on allowing straws to be sold in pharmacies and letting restaurants and pubs stock straws for customers who ask for them. The distribution and sale would become illegal at some point between October next year and October 2020. It comes after a flurry of announcements of a ban on microbeads, petrol and diesel cars being outlawed by 2040 and a bottle deposit scheme, as Mr Gove seeks to burnish his party's green credentials.

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