The country ’s Environment Secretary , Michael Gove , will launch a consultation on 22 October on proposals to ban the items as part of his plans to reduce pollution . An estimated 4.7 billion straws , 316 million stirrers and 1.8 billion cotton buds are used in England alone each year . Around 10 % of cotton buds are flushed down drains , meaning they can end up in oceans and rivers . The proposed ban , which would include use for medical reasons , would come into effect between October 2019 and October 2020 . Earlier this year , the European Union also announced it would introduce similar prohibitions .
The country’s Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, will launch a consultation on 22 October on proposals to ban the items as part of government plans to reduce pollution. An estimated 4.7 billion straws, 316 million stirrers and 1.8 billion cotton buds are used in England alone each year. Around 10% of cotton buds are flushed down toilets, meaning they can end up in oceans and waterways. The proposed ban, which would include exemptions for medical reasons, would come into effect between October 2019 and October 2020. Earlier this year, the European Union also announced it would introduce similar prohibitions.