CORK FOREST AT RISK FROM ALTERNATIVE CLOSURES FOR WINE

The Independent reports that the move away from traditional stoppers made of cork threatens the survival of one of Europe's most important wildlife habitats, according to a study by the conservation group WWF. According to the article, up to three quarters of the unique cork oak forests of the Mediterranean could be lost within 10 years because of the increasing popularity of the screw-top wine bottle. One survey has found that between 2000 and 2005, the proportion of wine bottles stoppered with cork fell by 18 per cent - a loss of 3 billion cork stoppers out of a total market of 15 billion. If the trend for plastic stoppers and screw tops continues, then just 5 per cent of wine bottles sold in Britain in 2015 could be using cork.