Theresa May has laid out a 25-year plan for reducing waste and tackling climate change.

In a landmark speech this morning, the Prime Minister promised to eliminate avoidable plastic waste by 2042 and set up a £7 billion fund for developing innovative alternatives and new recycling techniques.

As part of the phase-out, she plans to encourage supermarkets to set up plastic-free aisles and extend the successful 5p plastic bag charge to all retailers rather than just larger shops.

Mrs May said the government  will lead by example and remove all single-use plastic from its offices.

She said currently, the UK produces enough single-use plastic waste each year to fill 1,000 Albert Halls – much of this ends up in the ocean, where it kills around 1 million birds and 100,000 sea mammals and turtles annually.

She said: “Our plan is a healthy and natural environment that we can all enjoy and which we can be proud to pass on to the next generation.

“We will use the opportunity Brexit provides to strengthen and enhance our environmental protections – not to weaken them.”