Tackling single use plastic is good news for the climate

Environmental campaigners have welcomed the news that the Scottish Government is launching a public consultation on the banning of several single-use plastic items such as plastic straws and cutlery and polystyrene food containers.

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Plastic and Circular Economy Campaigner Sarah Moyes said:

“The impact of plastic pollution is everywhere you look and in Scotland we’re using a staggering 700 million single-use plastic items each year. While changing people’s behaviour is important in tackling this issue, the Scottish Government’s consultation is a welcome step to addressing the problem of plastic at its source.

“Single use plastic items under consultation like balloon sticks, cutlery and straws not only end up polluting our environment and harming our wildlife, but they are a major contributor to the climate crisis. The more plastic that companies make, the more climate emissions are released into the atmosphere, so it’s vitally important that we reduce the amount of plastic that is produced.”