The Foodservice Packaging Association has written to Mark Drayford, First Minister of Wales, urging the Welsh Government to push back its proposed ban on single-use plastics for plastic cutlery, plates, and EPS foam.
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the FPA says that the requirement for hygienic single-use products that virtually eliminate the risk of cross-contamination must over-ride all concerns and that if these products were banned, access to the required products would be very much restricted should another eventuality like the current pandemic happens again.
The FPA has asked the Welsh Government to review the proposed ban on these items, and, in the hope that the pandemic is brought under control, enable a process of further consultation to allow for expert food safety and hygiene evidence and data to be presented, particularly by the customers of these items.
The FPA has requested that the ban is delayed until 2022.
Martin Kersh, Executive Director of the FPA, said: “The announcement made on banning the above items in 2021 mean producers would in normal circumstances be scaling back now on their inventories of the raw materials needed to produce them.”
“This is in stark contrast to the huge demand with deliveries tripled at least and customers advising that they plan to continue to operate to the highest levels of hygiene when the crisis is over. This clearly puts producers in a difficult position.”
“We have previously advised the role packaging plays in feeding our population safely. During the crisis the role of single-use packaging in achieving this has receives much greater recognition. We deeply regret that it has taken such a dreadful pandemic for lessons to be learned.”