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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

The New South Wales government has established its $25 million Agriculture Industries Innovation and Growth Program to increase uptake of innovative technology and equipment in the local agriculture sector. Applications close 23 January.

The Western Australian government has announced recipients for round seven of its Agrifood and Beverage Voucher Program, offering a share of $680,000 in funding to small-to-medium food and beverage companies.

Treasury Wine Estates has flagged softer near-term earnings as category conditions weaken across key markets, while outlining a broad reset of inventory, capital structure and operating costs under newly appointed CEO, Sam Fischer.