Jurisdiction: England

Commencement:1st October 2020, except for regulation 4(3) and 4(4). Regulation4(3) and 4(4) come into force 3rd July 2021 
Mini Summary
The Environmental Protection (Plastic Straws, Cotton Buds and Stirrers) (England) Regulations 2020 list all the offences relating to the sale of single-use plastic straws, cotton buds and stirrers, as well as the specific exemptions to these offences for businesses.
Summary
The purpose of these Regulations is to restrict the supply of single-use plastic straws, single-use plastic stemmed cotton buds and plastic drink stirrers, to prevent pollution of the environment or harm to the health of humans and animals. It also serves to promote transition to a circular economy*.

*A circular economy is a model of production and consumption that involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible.

The Regulations apply to single-use plastic straws, single-use plastic stemmed cotton buds and plastic drink stirrers. They apply to businesses and organisations which supply or offer to supply these products to end users.

The Regulations extend to England and Wales and are put in place to meet the requirements of Directive (EU) 2019/904 on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment (“Single-Use Products Directive”).

Following the 1st October 2023, the Secretary of State must carry out a review of the operation of enforcement and the Schedule to these Regulations, to decide if objectives have been met efficiently and effectively.
Offences
The following actions constitute an offence (punishable by a fine):

Exemptions to these offences are explained below.
Duties
Single-use plastic straws 
Affected businesses and organisations may not supply or offer to supply a single-use plastic straw to an end user unless the following exemptions apply.

Exemptions: retail pharmacy businesses
The supply of single-use plastic straws may be permitted by a retail pharmacy at a registered pharmacy. In this case single-use plastic straws must not be advertised to customers by the retail pharmacy business and must not be kept in a place where they are visible to customers, or where customers can access them. They must not be offered or provided to a customer unless the customer has requested them. A registered pharmacy may also supply single-use plastic straws on an online platform that the registered pharmacy use to sell products online.

Exemptions: supply of existing stock
The supply of single-use plastic straws may be permitted if:

Exemptions: catering establishments 
A catering establishment* may supply single-use plastic straws with food or drink for immediate consumption. The single-use plastic straws must not be visible or accessible to customers and must not be offered or provided to a customer unless requested.

*Catering establishment means a restaurant, canteen, club, public house or similar establishment (including a vehicle or a fixed or mobile stall) which supplies food or drink, ready for consumption without further preparation.

Exemption: relevant devices and medical purposes
The supply of single-use plastic straws may be permitted in the supply of a product:

Exemption: packaging 
The supply of single-use plastic straws may be permitted if the item supplied is packaging*.

*Packaging is a product made of any materials of any nature used for the containment, protection, handling, delivery and presentation of goods.

Exemption: other establishments 
The supply of single-use plastic straws may be permitted in:

Affected businesses and organisations may not supply or offer to supply a drink product with an attached plastic straw* to an end user unless the following exemptions apply.

*Attached plastic straw means a single-use plastic straw which is attached to the packaging of a drink product and is intended to be used to consume that drink.

Exemptions: relevant devices and medical purposes 
The supply of single-use attached plastic straws may be permitted if:

 
Single-use plastic stemmed cotton buds
These Regulations make it an offence (punishable by a fine) in the course of a business, to supply or offer to supply a single-use plastic stemmed cotton bud to an end user.

Exemption: relevant devices and medical purposes 
The supply of single-use plastic stemmed cotton buds may be permitted if:

Exemption: forensic purposes 
The supply of single-use plastic stemmed cotton buds may be permitted if they are supplied to a forensic service provider (any person that carries out laboratory activities at the request of competent law enforcement authorities).

Exemption: scientific purposes 
The supply of single-use plastic stemmed cotton buds may be permitted if they are supplied for scientific purposes (diagnostic, educational or research purposes).

Exemptions: supply of existing stock 
The supply of single-use plastic stemmed cotton buds may be permitted if:

 
Plastic drink stirrers
No one is permitted to supply, or offer to supply a plastic drink stirrer unless the following exemptions apply.

Exemptions: supply of existing stock 
The supply of plastic drink stirrer may be permitted if:

 
Civil sanctions 
Any person contravening restrictions in these Regulations will be liable to receive any of the following forms of civil sanctions:

 
Enforcement 
If a regulator deems necessary, it may authorise (in writing) for an enforcement officer to exercise any of the powers below in order to determine whether:

Powers of entry and examination
The powers which an enforcement officer may be authorised to exercise are:

Entrance to a premises can be gained under the authority of a warrant where an enforcement officer proposes to enter that premises and entry has been refused, or where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that entry will be refused.

An enforcement officer seeking to exercise a power mentioned above, is required to produce evidence of their identify and authority when requested by:

 

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