What action has the Minister taken to encourage the use of recyclable single-use utensils?
In line with the statutory waste hierarchy, action has already been taken to prohibit the availability of plastic single-use cutlery through the Environmental Protection Single-use Plastic Products (Wales) Act 2023. The introduction of this legislation has been supported by communication campaigns and guidance which has encouraged businesses and consumers to switch to reusable products where possible. This has included the use of a “traffic light system” to help inform people in their decision making. In order to tackle the climate and nature emergency, it is vital that we take action to reduce single use, which will in turn decrease our emissions and reduce our reliance on extracted raw materials.