Germany is to ban the sale of single-use plastic straws, cotton buds and food containers, bringing it in line with a European Union directive intended to reduce the amount of plastic waste that pollutes the environment.

The Cabinet agreed on Wednesday to end the sale of plastics including single-use cutlery, plates, stirring sticks and balloon holders, as well as polystyrene cups and boxes by 3 July 2021.

Svenja Schulze, the environment minister, said the move was part of an effort to move away from “throw-away culture”.

Up to 20 per cent of rubbish collected in parks and other public places consists of single-use plastic, mainly polystyrene containers.

Plastic takes decades to degrade and microscopic particles have been found inside the bodies of fish, birds and other animals.

Read the original story at independent.co.uk