Smokers Warned That Cigarettes Could Be Set For Huge Change

Tobacco companies might be forced to replace plastic filters from their cigarettes following a government effort to go more green.

There are plans to extend the ban on single-use plastic items, such as plates, cutlery and polystyrene cups in England with the launch of a public consultation.

However, as part of the imitative, there is an investigation into limiting other polluting products such as tobacco filters and sachets, along with wet wipes that contain plastic.

Possible options for the government would be to ban plastic in those items and to put mandatory labelling on packaging to encourage smokers to dispose of them in a more environmentally friendly way.

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The government is hoping to incentivise users of single-use items to choose sustainable alternatives, with new changes attempting to stop 'throwaway culture'.

If you're a fan of exfoliators, there are also calls to potentially ban micro-beads in rinse-off personal care products.

Plastic bag usage is also on their list and the government wants to continue to discourage their use, along with single-use plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds.

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England uses an estimated 1.1 billion single-use plates and 4.25 billion items of single-use cutlery - most of which are plastic - each year.

Only 10 percent are recycled upon disposal.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said: "There is growing recognition of the damage that plastics cause to our environment and marine life in particular.

"We want to reduce the use of plastics in packaging and ban its use in items linked to littering.

"We have already banned plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds and now plan to extend the ban to cutlery and balloon sticks where alternative materials, like wood can be used."

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Marcus Gover, chief executive of sustainable resource use charity Wrap, said: "We welcome the consultation to expand the range of single-use plastic items to be banned in England.

"Eliminating problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic is essential if we are to turn the tide on plastic pollution and keep plastic out of the environment.

"The UK Plastics Pact set an ambitious target to take action in this important area and its members have already eliminated problematic plastic by more than 40 percent.

"We now need regulation to follow and ensure that all businesses take steps to eliminate problematic and unnecessary plastic."

Topics: UK News, Cigarettes

Anish Vij

@Anish_Vij