Single-use plastic cutlery, plates and polystyrene cups are reportedly set to be banned in England by the government after a consultation.

Therese Coffey, the environment secretary, is poised to unveil plans to phase out the items and replace them with biodegradable alternatives in the coming weeks, the Financial Times reported.

Scotland became the first part of the UK to ban single-use plastics in June 2022, with plastic cutlery, straws, drink stirrers and polystyrene food containers all covered by the ban.

Wales also banned single-use plastic this year after becoming one of the first countries to charge for plastic bags in 2011.

Plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds were banned in England in 2020.

The plans for expanded legislation come after the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) held a public consultation on the plan from November 2021 to February this year.

Single-use plastic plates, cutlery, balloon sticks and expanded and extruded polystyrene cups could all now be phased out in a bid to reduce plastic pollution.

The FT claimed the ban was delayed by chaos in Westminster and cited government insiders who reportedly claim that Ms Coffey is preparing to approve the ban.

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A Defra spokesperson said: “We are determined to go further and faster to reduce, reuse, and recycle more of our resources in order to transform our waste industry and deliver on our commitments in the ambitious 25-year environment plan. Cutting our reliance on single-use plastics is crucial.

“Having already banned single-use straws, stirrers and cotton buds and ended the sale of billons of single-use bags with our plastic bag charge, we will be responding soon to a consultation on further bans of plastic plates, cutlery, balloon sticks and expanded and extruded polystyrene cups.”

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