Single-use plastics: Isle of Man could ban sale and distribution

Items on the list to ban include carrier bags, cotton bud sticks and sticks for balloons

Single-use plastics including cutlery, straws and carrier bags could soon be banned on the Isle of Man.

It follows an EU Plastic Directive aiming to ban 10 different items frequently found on European beaches.

The Manx government has launched a consultation to see if people support the axing of items such as drink stirrers and food containers.

Laws needed to introduce a ban could form part of the Climate Change Bill, expected to become law later this year.

If introduced, it would make the island the first in the British Isles to ban everything covered by the EU directive.

It is not the first time the government has proposed the ban, but it is the first time it has gone out to consultation.

Under the proposals, businesses would be allowed a six-month grace period to use up their existing single-use plastic stock before the sale of them would become an offence.

'Biosphere nation'

The Manx government has committed to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Environment Minister Geoffrey Boot said: "It is predicted that the amount of plastic entering our oceans will treble in the next 10 years.

"We must act now as a responsible biosphere nation."

The legislation also recommends a ban on some personal care products that contain micro-beads.