Single-use plastics

What are single-use plastics?

Single-use plastics are things made of plastic that are used and then thrown away.

Examples include:

• plastic straws and stirrers
• plastic cutlery (knives, forks, spoons)
• plastic cups, lids, and food containers
• plastic bags and packaging
• cigarette butts
• balloon sticks

These items often end up in the sea or littering the environment, which can harm animals and pollute the planet.

Help end the use of single-use plastic

You can help by:

• using reusable bags, water bottles and coffee cup
• buying soap bars instead of liquid soap in plastic bottles
• choosing cardboard or paper packaging instead of plastic
• buying wooden or metal cutlery instead of plastic

Single-use plastic ban for businesses

Businesses in England must not sell or give out single-use:

• plastic cutlery
• plastic balloon sticks
• polystyrene cups and food containers
• some plastic plates, bowls, and trays (unless used as packaging or sold to another business)

This includes online and in-store sales. Even biodegradable or recycled plastic is banned if it’s single-use.

Businesses who supply single-use plastics could be fined.

If you think a business is breaking the rules, you can report it to Trading Standards.

Exemptions

There are some exemptions to the ban, depending on the item.

Plates, bowls and trays

You can still supply single-use plastic plates, bowls and trays if either of the following apply:

• you are supplying them to another business
• the items are packaging (pre-filled or filled at the point of sale), for example a pre-filled salad bowl or ready meal packaged in a tray, a plate filled at the counter of a takeaway, a tray used to deliver food

Polystyrene food and drink containers

You can still supply food or drink in polystyrene containers if it needs further preparation before it is consumed. For example, needs water adding, microwaving or toasting.

Inspections and fines

Inspections are carried out to make sure businesses are following the rules.

Businesses who are not following the rules may be fined.

If you think a business is breaking the rules, you can report it to Trading Standards.

Appealing a fine

You can appeal within 28 days of getting a fine. A letter with the fine will tell you what to do.

If you can show that you did everything you reasonably could to avoid breaking any rules, this would be an acceptable defence.

Want to help more?

Join a local Plastic Free group to help your community reduce plastic waste.

Some local groups include:

• Plastic Free Bingley: [email protected]
• Plastic Free East Morton: [email protected]
• Plastic Free Ilkley: [email protected]
• Plastic Free Keighley: [email protected]
• Plastic Free Riddlesden: [email protected]
• Plastic Free Silsden: [email protected]

If your local area is not on the list above, see if you can find one on the Plastic Free website.