I was very pleased to attend the Greenpeace presentation in Parliament last week which focused on plastics in our rivers. I received a copy of their informative new report “Upstream: Microplastics in UK Rivers”, which you can read here as an attachment below.
The UK’s world-leading ban on microbeads will help stop potentially billions of tiny pieces of plastic from entering the aquatic environment every year. As well as this, 15.6 billion fewer bags have been handed out to shoppers by the seven main retailers since the introduction of the plastic bag charge in 2015. I am also pleased that following an open consultation, a ban on the supply of plastic straws – excluding those needed for medical purposes - drinks stirrers and cotton buds will come into force in April next year.
