Single-use plastic kit to be banned for Oxford street vendors

Single-use plastic will be banned in the city from April if the full council votes in favor of the ban in March

Oxford street vendors are being banned from using single-use plastic in the spring ahead of a national ban in October.

The city council will ban vendors from using a variety of plastic utensils, cups and containers starting in April.

The Greens, who are leading the plan, said the move had public support.

According to government figures, England uses 2.7 billion pieces of single-use cutlery every year.

The council’s licensing committee voted in favor of the ban at a meeting on Monday after a year-long campaign by members of the Greens and Liberal Democrats.

His decision is due to be ratified by the full Council in March.

“We know that single-use plastics have a massive impact on the environment – both in how they are produced and in how they contribute to littering problems,” said Green Party councilor Lois Muddiman.

“It is therefore very welcome that the city council has taken this crucial step to ensure that street vendors are obliged to use sustainable alternatives.”

A public consultation in late 2022 found that 79% supported a ban.

“Only two respondents came from traders and both were in favour,” Ms. Muddiman said.

But “a lot” of street vendors were already using cardboard and bamboo, she added.

Julie Kleeman, co-owner of Taste Tibet in the city, has been selling street food at markets and touring festivals since 2014.

“Back then we were the only ones using compostable, recyclable goods, we never thought of going a cheaper route and it’s easy to source greener containers now.

“There’s a plethora of online competitions pushing prices down and access has never been better, especially since the pandemic when takeaways became a big thing,” she said.

Surveillance officers will carry out “spot checks” and “hopefully the public will report traders” who are breaking the new law, Ms Muddiman said. Fines would only be imposed as a last resort.

Last month the government announced its own “wide-ranging” ban on single-use plastics, claiming more than 95% of those who responded to its consultation were in favor of scrapping them.

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