The UK government has committed to reduce the use of single-use plastics in schools across the country by 2022.
Image: UK will eliminate the use straws, bottles, bags and food packaging in schools. Photo: Courtesy of Horia Varlan.
As part of this initiative, UK Education Secretary Damian Hinds has asked headteachers in England to replace non-recyclable plastic items such as straws, bottles, bags and food packaging through sustainable alternatives, reported The Guardian.
He also urged teachers to educate students on the impact of plastics on the environment and wildlife.
Hinds was quoted by the news agency as saying: “On my first school visit as education secretary almost a year ago, the very first question I was asked by a pupil was what we can do to limit the damage of plastic on the environment.
“Reducing our use of plastic clearly is an important and timely issue which has captured the interest and the imagination of everyone in society.”
These changes are part of a consultation launched by the government and will be implemented in January 2020.
Hinds added: “The leadership shown by schools like Georgeham primary in going single-use plastic-free is an impressive example for us all, and I want work to support every school in the country following their lead by 2022.
“It’s not always easy but we all have a role to play in driving out avoidable plastic waste, and with more schools joining others and leading by example, we can help to leave our planet in a better state than we found it.”
The government, as part of its 25-year environmental plan, also announced its commitment to eliminate avoidable plastic waste by 2042.
Recently, it also introduced tax on any plastic packaging without at least 30% recycled content.