European Union countries back single-use plastics ban

European Parliament has backed the move to ban items such as plastic straws, cutlery, cotton buds and balloon sticks. [Photo: AFP]

EU countries on Wednesday backed the outlawing of certain single-use plastics, bringing the bloc a step closer to an outright ban on the products which account for huge quantities of waste in the world's oceans.

The approval by the 28 member states follows an overwhelming vote in the European Parliament last week to ban single-use plastic items such as straws, cutlery, cotton buds and balloon sticks.