Scotland to ban plastic straws and polystyrene food boxes from June

Scottish ministers fear raft of measures could be undermined by delay to parallel action in England

The sale of plastic straws, cutlery and polystyrene cups and food boxes is to be banned in Scotland next year as part of measures to reduce waste and pollution.

The Scottish government said the ban would cover all single-use polystyrene food containers and their lids, as well as plastic stirrers, balloon sticks, plates and coffee stirrers, and would come into force on 1 June.