Tag: environment

UK requires an immediate ban on single use products

Eight worst landfill offenders revealed

Certain items should be banned immediately to prevent further damage the environment, according to business waste and recycling experts BusinessWaste.co.uk .

While the impact of single-use plastics is being discussed more visibly, actual change has been slow. The introduction of a 5p charge for plastic bags saw a dramatic reduction in the number of new bags issued by retailers, but still saw 500 million bags issued in six months after the scheme was rolled out – still equivalent to 4,000 tonnes of new plastic.

Similarly, many chain restaurants have announced their intention to introduce paper, rather than plastic, straws, following the Government’s announcement that they would soon ban the sale of plastic straws – but many outlets are still using plastic, 6 months away from the proposed implementation of the ban.

There are, research by BusinessWaster.co.uk and studies have shown, a number of items whose use – and subsequent disposal – create an unjustifiable amount of plastic waste.

Here, we look at the worst offenders (and some alternatives):

Plastic bags

Plastic bags take 10-20 years to break down in the environment – unlike a water-soluble alternative developed in Chile, which (despite looking identical to a traditional carrier bag) dissolves once stirred into water, removing the need for landfill-clogging plastics.

Disposable nappies

Taking a horrifying 450 years to break down, disposable nappies are one of the worst offenders for single-use plastic – and, as many contain moisture-locking gels, can have other unintended ill-effects once dumped in landfill. However, reusable cloth nappies are now widely available, and have been found to be better for babies’ skin – making for happier babies and more eco-friendly parents.

Fishing line

An unusual entry, but with 1.2 million fishing licences issued for 2015-16 (the most recent year for which data is available), there are millions of miles of plastic fishing line (which takes 600 years to break down) bought and discarded each year. Banning this would not stop angling enthusiasts, however – dissolvable fishing line has been developed which eventually breaks down in water, meaning fishing fans can still hook their catch of the day without adding to landfill!

Cigarette butts

By now, everyone is aware that smoking itself is dangerous – and banning it outright would contribute dramatically to an improvement in public health. But plastic cigarette filters, which are discarded once a smoker finishes their crafty smoking break, take between 1 and 5 years to break down in landfill. However, with improved support for smoking cessation and reusable vaping technology available, there are alternatives for those who are addicted and struggling to quit.

Plastic bottles

Taking up to 450 years to break down, plastic bottles are a prime offender – and banning them could see the continued increase of reusable water containers, which have seen a dramatic increase in sales in recent years. Many of these are more durable plastics, or aluminium, and therefore can be used for many years before needing recycling.

Styrofoam

Horrifyingly, there are no indications for how long this widely-used packaging material takes to break down after it has been discarded – causing a potentially massive headache for the environment, as online shopping (and therefore carefully-packed parcels) reaches new heights each year. However, there are eco-friendly alternatives. From bamboo fibre packaging to cardboard ‘packing peanuts’, there are a wealth of cushioning options for your brand new TV to be delivered safely.

Aluminium cans

While aluminium cans are recyclable, many local authorities lack the capacity to actually do so – and many millions of drinks cans are sent to landfill each year. However, as they can take up 200 years to break down, drinks retailers could consider more eco-friendly options if they were banned – such as reusable glass containers or even recyclable cardboard cartons.

BusinessWaste.co.uk spokesperson Mark Hall said:

“We truly believe that there cannot be significant change to the amount of single-use plastic – and other materials – going to landfill without equally significant action. Banning these products might seem like a big step, but as we’ve shown, there are plenty of eco-friendly alternatives.

“The best way to encourage businesses to innovate and find better ways of manufacturing is to create demand for it, and that’s what we believe a ban on these items would do. The general public are now more aware of green issues than ever and we feel that there would be widespread support for a bold move towards improving our environmental credentials.”

 

Open Streets: ‘a signal of our intent’

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Lesley Macinnes, writes about the inaugural Open Streets event and how it will inform plans for the city centre:

Last weekend we made history in Edinburgh. On Sunday we became the first city in the UK to join the international ‘Open Streets’ movement.

The High Street is free of cars, vans and buses and thronging with visitors throughout August, but to experience the Canongate, Victoria Street or Cockburn Street as peaceful, pedestrianised spaces is something else entirely.

I’m sure anyone who ventured into the Old Town will have been struck, like me, by the noticeable sense of calm that had descended upon the loop of Open Streets, even though thousands were strolling through the area. Instead of traffic-dominated thoroughfares they became places for conversation, enjoyment and play.

The beautiful, colourful backdrop of Victoria Street was revivified in the absence of queues of traffic, the Canongate, usually filled with cars and buses, was the site of open-air yoga and the Lawnmarket became a place to stroll and enjoy the beautiful, historic buildings.

Of course, this was a wonderful experience to which so many have responded very positively. Over the next year and a half these monthly events will bring a new vibrancy to Edinburgh’s Old Town, letting people experience our historic centre in a completely new way. But what does it mean to the future of the city?

This is about so much more than closing roads to cars. Open Streets is a signal of our intent to create a people-friendly environment, taking a holistic rather than purely transport-led approach, incorporating placemaking, well-being and economic growth.

Over the next 18 months we will be able to monitor the changes that will gradually develop in response to the initiative, learning from that understanding as we grow and develop our vision for the city centre.

Later this week we will publish a suite of reports which significantly moves forward our ambition for change, in particular reports on City Centre Transformation, Low Emission Zones and the City Mobility Plan, all of which are designed to re-negotiate the contract we have, as citizens and businesses, with the Capital.

We want to step into the future with confidence, a future where transport and environmental choices help to support continued economic success at the same time as improving people’s lives.

We know, from extensive consultation, that many understand clearly that the status quo is no longer an option, that radical change is needed to build resilience.

Like other cities, we face enormous challenges from population growth, air pollution, increased car use and the fast-paced tempo of modern life.

I want to be clear that the forthcoming changes are for the people of Edinburgh – we want to equip future generations to face these challenges, to improve quality of life and to conserve the city’s heritage for centuries to come.

As part of this we want to ensure a truly inclusive, accessible centre. This isn’t about putting up walls – we know that many people with mobility issues rely on cars and taxis and, as was the case with Open Streets, we want to make sure that this continues.

But, for our own sakes, we can no longer ignore increasingly urgent conversations around the climate change, air pollution and public health – and we want to be part of the solution.

Sunday’s Open Streets event was an illustration, an initial sketch, of what we want to do, and it’s thanks to the extremely hard work and support of Council officers, partners, community groups and residents that it was able to take place.

Over the coming months I look forward to many more citizens and visitors joining us to reclaim the streets, helping us to better understand how we can reshape and transform the city for everyone’s benefit – and for other cities to follow suit.

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Going greener, faster: Scotland to set world-leading climate change targets

Scotland will stop contributing to climate change within a generation under new, tougher climate change proposals. Amendments to the Climate Change Bill have been lodged to set a legally binding target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 at the latest with Scotland becoming carbon neutral by 2040.

The existing targets proposed in the Bill were already world-leading. In response to calls from young people, scientists and businesses across the country, Scottish Ministers have adopted the advice of independent experts, the UK Climate Change Committee.

This means that in addition to the net-zero target for 2045, Scotland will reduce emissions by 70% by 2030 and 90% by 2040 – the most ambitious statutory targets in the world for these years.

The Committee’s recommended targets for Scotland are contingent on the UK adopting a net-zero greenhouse gas emission target for 2050.

Climate Change Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: “There is a global climate emergency and people across Scotland have been calling, rightly, for more ambition to tackle it and safeguard our planet for future generations.

“Having received independent, expert advice that even higher targets are now possible, and given the urgency required on this issue, I have acted immediately to set a target for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions for 2045 which will see Scotland become carbon neutral by 2040.

“I have been consistently clear that our targets must be ambitious, credible and responsible. We must take an evidence-based approach and balance our climate, economic and social responsibilities. We have already halved greenhouse gas emissions from Scotland while growing the economy, so we know we can do it. I am committed to meeting the most ambitious targets possible, and doing so while continuing to build an inclusive and fair economy.

“Every single one of us now needs to take more action – not just the Scottish Government but also all businesses, schools, communities, individuals and organisations. The UK Government must also act.

“The Committee on Climate Change say that Scotland’s ability to meet these world-leading targets is contingent on the UK Government also accepting their advice and using the relevant policy levers that remain reserved. As such, I call on the UK Government to follow our lead, accept the Committee’s advice, and work with us to achieve this goal.

“We can, and we must, end our contribution to climate change. I invite everyone to accept the advice we’ve received and work with us in a just and fair transition to a net-zero economy.”