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Government to ban plastic straws, cotton buds and stirrers

Environment secretary Michael Gove has announced plans to ban the sale and distribution of plastic straws, cotton buds and drinks stirrers.

Although non-plastic alternatives are readily available, it is estimated that in England we use 4.7 billion plastic straws, 316 million stirrers and 1.8 million plastic-stemmed cotton buds every year. Ten per cent of cotton buds are flushed down toilets and can end up in waterways and oceans.

Exemptions to the ban will apply for those who need to use plastic straws for medical reasons. Subject to a consultation, the ban is expected to come into force between October 2019 and October 2020.

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Voting opens for BEVA Council

News Story 1
 Eligible members of BEVA will be able to vote for their Council team until Monday, 17 August 2026. Members will have received an election email on 17 July.

There are five candidates standing for four available places on Council. They are:

  • Alexandre Triguino
  • Angela Jones
  • Beth Bryant
  • Holly Rees
  • Hugh Somerville
Full profiles for each candidate can be found on the BEVA website

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Milk recalled over presence of veterinary medicines

Graham's Family Dairy has issued a recall for its semi-skimmed milk due to the presence of veterinary medicines in the product.

In a risk statement, the Food Standards Agency said the presence of the medicines, including penicillin, make the milk unsafe to consume and 'may be a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy to antibiotics'.

Customers who bought the product are advised to return it to the store of purchase for a full refund.