England Has Banned Shops And Catering Businesses From Using Disposable Plastic Tableware

[The Epoch Times, October 5, 2023] (Epoch Times Uk Reporter Station Reported) Starting From October 1, England Has Banned Shops And Catering Businesses From Using Disposable Plastic Tableware, But Some Businesses Told The Media That They Do Not Want To Use Disposable Plastic Tableware. I Knew There Was This Ban.

The Owner Of A Takeaway Shop On A Commercial Street In Leeds Told A Bbc Reporter: “To Be Honest, I Have Never Heard Of This.”

The Owner Of Another Fried Chicken Restaurant Said He Was Unaware Of The Ban And Had Recently Purchased Enough Foam Plastic Lunch Boxes For Two Weeks. He Said Meal Kit Wholesalers Seemed To Be Unaware Of The Ban As He Saw Their Warehouses Filled With Plastic Cutlery Covered By The Ban.

Which Plastic Products Are Banned
Prohibited Disposable Plastic (Plastic) Tableware Includes: Disposable Plastic Plates, Trays, Bowls, Knives And Forks, Spoons (Spoons), Balloon Stems For Sealing Balloons, Some Polystyrene (Commonly Known As Styrofoam) Cups And Food Boxes.

Britons Use 1.1 Billion Disposable Plastic Plates And More Than 4 Billion Disposable Plastic Cutlery Every Year, But Only One Tenth Is Recycled. The Ban Aims To Reduce Plastic Pollution.

Starting From October 1, Retailers, Takeaways, Food Vendors And Catering Businesses Can No Longer Use This Type Of Plastic Tableware.
However, It Should Be Noted That The Ban Will Not Include Single-Use Plastic Plates, Trays And Bowls In Food Packaging, Such As The Plastic Packaging Boxes Of Ready-To-Eat Foods Sold In Supermarkets.

The British Government Said That After The Ban Comes Into Effect, Local Government Trading Standards Officials Will Conduct Inspections Of The Industries Involved. Businesses Could Face A £200 Fine If Breaches Are Discovered.

If A Merchant Is Fined For A Violation But Believes He Has Been Wronged, He Can File A Complaint Within 28 Days After Receiving The Fine Notice. If A Business Can Prove That It Has Tried Its Best To Avoid Violations, It May Be Exempted From Fines.

The Federation Of Local Governments, A Group Representing Local Authorities, Warned That The Cost Of Enforcing The Ban Would Be Relatively High And That Some Local Authorities Would Find It Difficult To Enforce The Ban Because Many Local Trading Standards Teams Are Resource-Strapped And Staff Are Under Pressure.
Polystyrene Takeaway Box
The British Government Specifically Mentioned Food Boxes And Drink Cups Made Of Polystyrene In Its Ban.

The Ban States That If You Are Selling Food That Can Be Eaten Out Of The Box Or Drinks That Can Be Drunk, Polystyrene Food Boxes And Drink Cups Cannot Be Used.

The Exception Is That Food That Requires Further Processing Before Consumption, Such As Adding Water, Heating In A Microwave Oven, Or Baking Over A Fire, Can Still Be Packaged In Polystyrene.

The Ban States That Only Polystyrene Materials That Have Undergone The Foaming Process Fall Within The Scope Of The Ban. The So-Called Foamed Polystyrene Is A Takeaway Box That Looks Like Foam But Feels More Delicate Than Foam. It Is Mostly White Or Lighter Orange. Many Private Takeaway Shops In The Uk That Sell Fish Fingers, Burgers Or Kebabs Use This Kind Of Packaging.

The Banned Expanded Polystyrene Includes Two Types, Code-Named Eps And Xps. Just Check The Logo On The Takeout Box To See If It Has These Two Abbreviations And You Will Know If It Is Banned Tableware.