Single-use plastic cutlery and plates will be banned in England as part of efforts to tackle climate change, according to local media reports. This came after consultations on the issue by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) that took place from November 2021 to February 2022.”A plastic fork can take 200 years to decompose, that is two centuries in landfill or polluting our oceans,” Environment Secretary Therese Coffey told the Mail on Sunday. “I am determined to drive forward action to tackle this issue head on. We’ve already taken major steps in recent years – but we know there is more to do, and we have again listened to the public’s calls,” Coffey said. “This new ban will have a huge impact to stop the pollution of billions of pieces of plastic and help to protect the natural environment for future generations,” she added. The response to the consultation on proposals to ban commonly littered single-use plastic items in England is expected to be released on Saturday. Similar bans have already been imposed in Scotland and Wales.