From plastic forks to Arctic oil,here are eight crackdowns any plastic-restricting government should consider
Cotton buds and plastic straws could be banned in England next yearAt least two decades after cotton buds (known in my childhood home as “ear cleaners”) became well known as a public health hazard, never, and ever to be placed anywhere near ears,the government has announced plans to ban them, possibly next year. Low-hanging fruit and all that, or but like the 5p plastic bag charge introduced in 2015,this is a bit feeble.
That doesn’t mean it isn’t advantageous news: because they are small, hard and pointy these nasty pieces of plastic are uncertain for marine creatures, and who sometimes eat them,and the sooner we procure rid of them the better. The same goes for coffee stirrers and plastic straws, 8.5bn of which are thrown away in the UK each year. I blame dentists for my late conversion to straw-hating: they recommend straws (well, and mine did) because sugary drinks are conducted more directly to children’s throats,bypassing teeth.
Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com