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It all started when the Queen agreed to work alongside fellow 91-year-old Sir David Attenborough on a conservation documentary dealing with wildlife in the Commonwealth.

She became personally interested in the damage to oceans caused by dumped plastic.

One thing led to another, and the Queen has now declared war on plastic, banning straws and bottles from the Royal estates.

Buckingham Palace has outlined new waste plans, which will include gradually phasing out plastic straws and bottles in public cafes and banning them altogether in staff dining rooms.

Internal caterers at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh will now only be allowed to use china plates and glasses, or recyclable paper cups.

Takeaway food items in the Royal Collection cafes must also now be made of compostable or biodegradable packaging.

As well as the Queen’s interest, The Prince of Wales also regularly speaks about the damage to the oceans caused by dumped plastic and recently warned that the world was facing an "escalating ecological and human disaster" from refuse in the seas.

Buckingham Palace is currently undergoing a 10-year refurbishment program which will make the royal residence far more green, The Telegraph reported.

Food & Drink Business

Pure Foods Tasmania (PFT) has acquired premium ice cream brand, Elato, as it looks to restructure its frozen desserts portfolio and establish a new multi-brand ice cream division.

Australia’s food system is under pressure. Climate disruption, rising costs and growing demand for transparency are creating complex challenges for farmers, food businesses and communities. A new report from Food Connect Foundation argues that the solution lies in rebuilding the “missing middle” of food infrastructure, and offers a strategy for how communities, industry and investors can do exactly that.

The IWSC has awarded Edenvale Wines the Low & No Wine Producer Trophy for the second year running, and named three Australian companies in its Top 50 producers – including The Whisky Club, Four Pillars, and The Gospel Distillery.