Following the Government’s decision to ban single-use plastic in England’s hospitality businesses and retail, venue directory.com’s MD has urged venues to take “decisive action.”
The ban, effective 1 October 2023, includes single-use plastic plates, trays, bowls, cutlery and certain types of polystyrene cups and food containers.
Michael Begley, managing director, venue directory.com, said: “Venues now need to get the ball rolling so that they have sustainable measures in place ahead of the ban.”
According to Begley, this means working closely with suppliers to source biodegradable substitutes such as paper cups, bamboo crockery or wooden cutlery.
He added: “The Government’s ban is a welcome move on the journey to achieving Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050. According to estimates, England uses 2.7bn items of single-use cutlery — most of which are plastic — and 721m single-use plates per year, but only 10% are recycled.
“The ban follows similar moves in Scotland and Wales – but England has some catching up to do. The country currently lags behind the EU, which introduced a ban on single-use plastic items in 2021.”
Despite this, Begley recognises the work venues are already doing. “Many of the events I’ve attended recently have offered jugs of water or refill points instead of bottled water. These are the best possible options as they reduce the use of materials – be they recyclable or otherwise – in the first place.
“It’s good to see that the significant efforts being made in our sector are now being back up by regulation. Now is the time for decisive action.”
