Czech MPs approve ban on single-use plastic

The Czech lower house of Parliament has approved a bill banning the manufacture and sale of single-use plastic products, such as cutlery, plates and drinking straws. According to the Ministry of the Environment, it should reduce the consumption of such plastic products by around 1.77 billion units per year.

The ban was supposed to be introduced into the Czech legal system last July, in line with EU regulations, but MPs failed to get it approved before their term in office ended.