Tag: Keep Scotland Beautiful

Scots get back to the beach as summer season opens

  • Scots get back to the beach as summer season opens and two new locations added this year. 
  • Seaside and coastal locations play a major role in Scotland’s tourism industry – bringing international and domestic visitors into local communities. 
  • In 2019, 38% of international visitors visited a beach during their visit*. 
  • Of the 85 bathing waters sampled by SEPA last year, 99% are classified as sufficient or better for 2022.  
  • New-look bathing water signs will be installed over the summer at five locations on the west coast. 
  • Know the key steps to protect the water environment and ensure you stay safe near the water. 

Scotland’s bathing water season has officially begun, ready to welcome locals, international and domestic visitors to 87 locations around the country, playing a vital role in helping Scotland’s tourism industry recover after limited travel over the last few years.  

Of the 85 bathing waters sampled by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) last year, 99% are classified as sufficient or better for 2022. Thirty two (38%) are rated as ‘excellent’. 

Two new locations, Barassie in South Ayrshire and Lower Largo in Fife, were designated in May following successful applications, bringing the total number of official bathing waters for the 2022 season to 87. 

Bathing water boosts for tourism 

Continually ranked as one of the most beautiful countries in the world by British travel publisher Rough Guide, Scotland’s natural environment is world-renowned and provides ahigh motivation for people to visit. Its beaches range from remote, unspoilt Hebridean sands to golden stretches along northern and eastern coves and popular western shores – with three bathing waters on inland lochs. 

Trips to the beach provide valuable outdoor spaces for local residents and bring visitors to the shoreline for the day. They also result in overnight stays in communities, meals in local restaurants and cafes, and shopping in nearby locations – which can bring a real boost to the local economy. 

Figures from Visit Scotland show that in 2019 38% of international visitors visited a beach, during their visit. Domestic tourism resulted in 2.3 million overnight trips to seaside and coastal locations and generated £448m of expenditure for the Scottish economy. 

Designated bathing waters are sampled by SEPA regularly during the season, which runs until 15 September, and the results are published online. SEPA’s network of 29 bathing water signs show daily water quality information so visitors can decide whether they participate in water or land-based activities. Predictions are also published on SEPA’s website. 

This year SEPA will be installing six new totem-style bathing water information signs at five locations in the South West – replacing original units from 2003.  

  • Ayr (two signs) 
  • Irvine 
  • Prestwick 
  • Troon
  • Saltcoats/Ardrossan 

Ruth Stidson, Principal Scientist (Bathing Waters) at SEPA, said: “With Covid restrictions now eased, visitors will be flocking to our stunning coastlines and beaches. SEPA’s bathing water designations ensure beach users can make an informed decision on if they want to take part in water-based activities at 87 locations across the country.  

“Protecting and improving our bathing waters is crucial for our environment, our local economies which rely on beach tourism and our visitors, whether local, domestic or international. SEPA works every day to protect and enhance Scotland’s stunning environment and we are committed to ensuring all of Scotland’s designated bathing waters meet water quality standards. 

“We’ve seen a number of improvements over the last few years, as key projects have delivered positive changes. Partnership working between SEPA, Scottish Government, the farming sector, Scottish Water, Keep Scotland Beautiful, local authorities and communities has been vital to achieving better results. Further work is continuing this year to drive forward improvements this season and beyond.” 

Environment Minister Mairi McAllan said: “There are now more official bathing water sites in Scotland than ever, which is great news for local communities, residents and tourists alike. 

“By investing in protecting and improving bathing waters across Scotland we have made sure many more people can continue to enjoy them with 99% of bathing waters passing bathing water quality standards in 2021.” 

Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive VisitScotland said: “Scotland’s coastline is home to many stunning beaches and is a vital part of our tourism offering. From family-friendly day trips to water-based adventures, they offer a diverse range of experiences for visitors.  

“SEPA annual bathing water classifications provide helpful guidance for visitors and are a reminder of the important role we all have to play in protecting our natural landscapes.  

“As the summer season starts, we ask everyone to enjoy our waters safely and respectfully. We would urge visitors to follow water safety advice, guidance and signage and, to ensure our beaches are protected for the enjoyment of all, leave no trace of their visit.” 

The season was officially launched at Barassie in South Ayrshire, one of Scotland’s newest bathing waters. 

Ongoing improvement in water quality 

Previous SEPA water quality improvement projects have demonstrated bold and timely action from partnership working with organisation including Scottish Government, Scottish Water, the National Farming Union of Scotland (NFUS)  local communities, local authorities and Keep Scotland Beautiful (KSB). Fifteen bathing waters that had a poor classification in 2015 have improved to a sufficient or better classification in 2022.  

SEPA will continue to work with partners to raise or maintain the state of bathing waters throughout Scotland for the benefits of the communities and visitors who use them. 

Dhoon Bay, on the Solway coast, is the only bathing water classified as poor for 2022. SEPA has been working closely with the local community, local authority and Scottish Water to put in place actions to reduce the impact of private sewage treatment systems in the catchment area.

Plans for permanent improvements for the private systems serving domestic homes is ongoing, with funds made available by the Scottish Government and assistance from Scottish Water.

South of Scotland Enterprise is also involved in plans to upgrade treatment provision at a caravan park in an area that is important for tourism. These actions are aimed at improving water quality in what will be a critical year for this location. 

Help improve our beaches and coastlines   

Communities and visitors to Scotland’s beaches can help protect our water environment, even when they’re not visiting. 

It’s important that people understand the impact what they flush away has on the environment, including their local bathing water. Every year Scottish Water teams deal with around 36,000 blockages, costing customers about £7 million annually, and around 80% of those are caused by people flushing the wrong items down the toilet, or pouring fats, oil and grease down the sink. These blockages in the sewer system can result in spills of pollution into the environment.  

Whether you are at home, at work or on holiday, Scottish Water provides advice on how to protect the network, and Scotland’s water environment, at scottishwater.co.uk/naturecalls   

Simon Parsons, Scottish Water’s Strategic Customer Services Planning Director, said: “Scottish Water is committed to continuing to support the protection and improvement of Scotland’s rivers, coastal waters and beaches.  

“We recently published our urban waters route map, announcing plans to invest up to half a billion pounds more in Scotland’s waste water network to deliver further improvements and ensure that Scotland’s rivers, beaches and urban waters are free from sewage-related debris. 

“All our customers can play a huge part in preventing debris in rivers and on beaches. Our new national campaign ‘Nature Calls’ urges customers not to flush wet wipes (and other items) down the toilet and we are calling for a complete ban on the sale of wet wipes containing plastic.” 

Protecting our bathing waters while at the beach is also vital. Waste from animals or litter is not just unsightly, it can have a negative impact on the environment – so it’s important to make sure your visit doesn’t contribute to pollution. 

Barry Fisher, CEO of Keep Scotland Beautiful said: ‘We are delighted with the results of My Beach Your Beach; working together, partners, communities and individuals have really raised awareness of bathing water quality, encouraging everyone to play their part in helping to protect the sand and sea.

“My Beach Your Beach encourages more people to engage in simple actions leading to better bathing water quality. Waste from animals or litter is not just unsightly, it can have a negative impact on the environment. So, visitors are encouraged to take litter home, clean up after their dogs and avoid feeding the gulls, ensuring a good beach experience for everyone who visits.”  

Find out more at keepscotlandbeautiful.org/mybeachyourbeach 

Stay safe at the beach 

For advice on how to keep safe in and around water visit the RLNI and Water Safety Scotland webpages. 

During the season, SEPA posts results online from its sampling of all 87 designated bathing waters. At 29 locations there are bathing water signs with updated water quality predictions by 10am, so you can check before you travel.  

At most locations, bathing is not advised during, or one to two days after, heavy rainfall due to the risk to bathers’ health from short term water pollution. Site-specific information on risks can be found on the individual bathing water profiles on our website. 

Voting for the nation’s favourite pocket garden opens soon

Pupils across Scotland are getting ready to show their garden designs in the seventh annual Pocket Garden Design Competition, run by environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful. Voting for the nation’s favourite opens on Wednesday 8 June, when all the winning designs will be available to view in a digital showcase.

Summerside Kindergarten in Edinburgh won the competition in March, going through to the final stage with a colourful garden celebrating the tale of ‘Stickman’, including favourite characters as well as creating new Stickman adventures. Since then the budding designers have been working hard building and growing their garden.

Following the huge success of the online showcase in 2021, when 38 design winners were displayed to allow a public vote, this year 340 entries were received from across Scotland. Of these 45 won a place in the digital showcase.

Schools developed environmentally friendly designs for a tiny garden telling a story, reflecting the themes of the 2022 Year of Stories, One Planet Picnic and Wildlife Gardening.

Stories are a vital part of culture and community, from well-loved tales of family and friends to famous fictional characters: they all give a sense of place, history and belonging. There are fables, legends, folklore, news stories, novels, fairy stories, investigative journalism, and myths to draw inspiration from and the young people celebrated that through their imaginative competition entries.

Children, from as young as three, were challenged to design a colourful and sustainable garden. Finished gardens will be available to view in an online showcase, where the nation will also be able to vote for their favourite Pocket Garden.

Nicola Davidson, Education and Learning Officer for Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “This year’s competition has encouraged children to tell their own stories, a wonderful part of our culture, through their garden designs. 

“We are delighted that schools and young people in Edinburgh are finding the benefits of this competition in learning, teaching and celebrating things that are important to them and their environment. 

“The Pocket Garden designs we received were practical, creative, challenging, sustainable and full of fun! We can’t wait to share this year’s stories in the digital showcase. Make sure to vote for your favourite!”

Ella McClellan, Outreach Coordinator for Scottish Book Trust, who was involved in the judging, said: “I was delighted when I was asked if I would help to judge this year’s Pocket Garden design competition, because it combines two things I feel really passionate about, reading and nature. 

“Both share really positive commonalities. Reading books that you love and spending time in nature are both proven ways of reducing stress and anxiety. Delving into new worlds through books, or discovering the vibrant wildlife around you, can also help you to feel less isolated and lonely.

“This lovely project brings both together, in a powerfully beneficial combination and I have really enjoyed ‘reading’ these garden narratives. It has been exciting to see the creative experimental gardens in this competition, ones that are unique to the young people who have designed them.”

The winning Pocket Gardens will be available to view in the digital showcase from 8-20 June at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/pocketgarden.

Keep Scotland Beautiful awards schools for fantastic climate action

Four schools and nurseries in Edinburgh recognised with Eco-Schools Green Flag Award status

Environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful is delighted to award four schools and nurseries in Edinburgh with an Eco-Schools Green Flag.

The international award recognises nurseries and schools which have demonstrated a commitment to the Eco-Schools Scotland programme and over two years have engaged their whole school community in local climate action.

The schools and nurseries are: Erskine Stewart’s Melville Schools, Leith Primary School and Nursery Class, Nether Currie Primary School and Smilechildcare.

All the schools took part in a variety of fantastic litter-busting and climate action activities including litter picks, litter surveys, recycling and community clean ups.

Through the Eco-Schools Scotland programme, Keep Scotland Beautiful aims to make action to tackle climate change and environmental awareness an intrinsic part of the life and ethos of schools, for both pupils and for staff. The programme provides a framework to engage the wider school community in climate action aligned with the purposes of Curriculum for Excellence and Learning for Sustainability.

To complete the Green Flag journey each school has a choice of ten topics to engage with, from climate action, to food and the environment, to litter, to energy. The schools also choose one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to link their Eco-Schools work to.

Catherine Gee, Deputy Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “I’d like to congratulate the Eco-Committee, pupils and staff at each of these schools, who have stepped up to play their part in combatting climate change and achieve their Green Flag Award. 

“It’s great to hear about the progress schools have made towards their Green Flags – up and down the country, pupils and staff are working hard growing, litter picking and learning. Thousands have also engaged with our live lessons recently and the next, on Water, is coming up on 6 and 10 June.

“Keep Scotland Beautiful is committed to supporting all our children, young people and educators through our Climate Action Schools activities to develop the capacities, skills and attributes required to protect our planet and work towards our goal of a Net Zero future.”

More information about the world’s largest sustainable schools programme and Eco-Schools Scotland can be found at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/eco-schools.

Sign up for the next live lesson and see the previous lessons here:

https://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/education-and-learning/eco-schools/live-lessons/.

Wheatley Group spring into action to tackle litter

The Wheatley Group – Scotland’s Leading Housing, Care and Property Group – is embarking on a ‘Week of Action’ across its neighbourhoods as part of environmental charity, Keep Scotland Beautiful’s national Spring Clean campaign.

From 28 March – 2 April, the Wheatley Group will be organising litter-busting activities and events, including litter picks, in its communities throughout Dumfries and Galloway, Glasgow, and Edinburgh.

A highlight of the week will be the launch of six new Clean Up hubs at Wheatley locations in Glasgow which will empower people to take action to improve their own communities.

Opening on 30 March, the new hubs join over 80 across Scotland, and will host litter picking equipment that will be available for Wheatley customers to borrow.

Keep Scotland Beautiful’s research has revealed that 88% of Scots agree that litter is a problem across Scotland – and 70% are concerned about litter in their area.

For those frustrated by litter in the community or the places they visit, the focused week of action as part of Spring Clean Scotland is the perfect opportunity to make a difference by picking up litter … Get involved and help make the places we care about cleaner and safer for people and animals.

Barry Fisher, Chief Executive at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “We’ve been working with the Wheatley Group since 2017 to deliver environmental improvements through initiatives like environmental quality assessments of multi-storey flats and tenements based on the National Award for Environmental Excellence® framework, staff training and the creation of Tenant Improvement Panels.

“We’re delighted to be developing that partnership now by supporting the ‘Week of Action’ and the new Clean Up Hubs.”

Steven Gray, Wheatley’s Director of Environmental Services, said: “Our environmental week of action is about shining a spotlight on environmental services across the Group and engaging with the communities we work in.

“We are proud to work in partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful, along with local community groups and schools, and look forward to seeing many of those groups out supporting our efforts to deliver safe and tidy communities for our customers.”

There are Community Clean Up Hubs in 28 local authority areas across Scotland, to support community action.

If you’d like to get involved, find your nearest hub: 

https://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/community-and-place/clean-up-scotland/clean-up-scotland-map/#

Get involved in cleaning up Scotland: Make Litter History

Environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful, Historic Environment Scotland and the Scottish Government’s Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater are calling for everyone to make litter history – by joining a Spring Clean challenge from 21 March – 21 April.

Lorna Slater joined the two charities at a launch event yesterday (Friday, 18 March), at the iconic Blackness Castle in Linlithgow, kicking off four weeks of litter-busting action to help clean up Scotland.

It’s everyone’s responsibility to reduce litter and help protect our neighbourhoods and heritage. But Keep Scotland Beautiful’s research has revealed that 88% of Scots agree that litter is a problem across Scotland – including at some of Scotland’s most beautiful sites. And 70% are concerned about litter in their area.

The environmental charity has been working with Historic Environment Scotland to explore ways to reduce litter at visitor attractions and areas of national significance.

If you feel frustrated about litter in your community or the places you visit, you can do something about it. Spring Clean Scotland is the perfect opportunity to make a difference by picking up litter on your local beach, streets, parks and beyond. Get involved and help make the places we care about cleaner and safer for people and animals.

Every action, however small, makes a difference. Just half an hour of picking up litter and disposing of it safely can help an area look cleaner and feel safer, and evidence shows it also prevents more litter being dropped.

Why not organise a litter pick with friends, family, workmates or your wider community? Or find one to join in with on Keep Scotland Beautiful’s Clean Up Scotland map.

We know young people feel strongly about caring for the environment and want to do something about the harmful effects of litter.

Your school can get involved too. As part of Spring Clean, there is a Live Lesson open to all schools across the UK.

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said, “No one should have their visit to one of Scotland’s heritage sites ruined by litter and mess. To help make sure our historic locations are in good condition for others, please put your rubbish in the bin, recycling it where possible.

“We are consulting on proposals to help rid Scotland of the problem of litter and flytipping. I would encourage everyone to have their say and to take part in a Spring Clean near you.”

Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, Barry Fisher, said: “Across Scotland we have seen a steady increase in the amount of litter over the past decade. While this is a real challenge, we are heartened by the incredible work of litter picking heroes up and down the country.

“Our communities already play a vital role in taking action to tackle litter. Across Scotland we have seen lots of people giving up their time to clean up their local areas despite the challenges of the last two years.

“We are delighted to have launched our challenge with Historic Environment Scotland at a beautiful part of our heritage, Blackness Castle, to help highlight this issue. We would love as many people as possible to join in, make litter a thing of the past, and give Scotland a spring clean this March and April.

“For those that wish to take further action, the Scottish Government is currently consulting on a revised National Litter and Flytipping Strategy and you can still respond until the end of March and have #YourSayOnLitter.”

Alison Turnbull, Director of External Relations and Partnerships at Historic Environment Scotland, said, “We’re delighted to help launch this year’s Spring Clean at Blackness Castle. Litter can have a big negative impact on historic sites such as this, limiting access and enjoyment for visitors, as well as posing issues of health and safety.

“However, we believe our historic environment is also part of the solution to tackling litter. We want our historic sites to inspire positive behaviour change, connecting communities with their local area and restoring pride in our local environments.

“We hope people across Scotland will be inspired to get involved and help us make litter history.”

Inspired to take positive action? Learn more and sign up to join here: 

www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/springclean.

Going Greener: Creative writing workshop at Granton Parish Church

GRANTON Goes Greener are very ecited to be hosting another CREATIVE WRITING workshop with an Edinburgh based climate activist and a writer-@KirstyLewin at @GrantonParish.

The workshop is part of #climatefestivalscot and sponsored by @KSBScotland

Keep Scotland Beautiful Green Flag awards for Edinburgh schools

Environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful is delighted to award twelve schools in Edinburgh with an Eco-Schools Green Flag.

The international award recognises nurseries and schools which have demonstrated a commitment to the Eco-Schools Scotland programme and over two years have engaged their whole school community in local climate action.

The schools are: St David’s RC Primary School (which has held a Green Flag since 2010), Craiglockhart Primary School (which has held a Green Flag since 2016), Granton Primary School  (a Green Flag school since 2013), Drummond Community High (achieving its first Green Flag Award), St Cuthbert’s Primary School (a Green Flag school since 2014), Ratho Primary School (a Green Flag school since 2010), Blackhall Nursery (which has held a Green Flag since 2009), St Margaret’s RC Primary School (which has held a Green Flag since 2011), Arbor Green Nursery (a Green Flag school since 2012), Hermitage Park Primary School (which has held a Green Flag since 2007), Kirkliston Nursery School (since 2005) and St Mary’s RC Primary School (since 2012).

All the schools took part in a variety of fantastic litter-busting and climate action activities including litter picks, litter surveys, recycling and community clean ups. 

Pupils in the Eco Den at St David’s RC Primary School used their litter picking kit to tidy the playground. The nursery class also carried out a clean up. 

Craiglockhart Primary School’s Eco Committee carried out a litter survey and using the results, decided to modify or replace their outdoor bins to prevent the litter from blowing out. They also wrote to the council to ask them to reduce the amount of single use plastics in school lunch boxes. 

Granton Primary School’s Eco-Committee solved the problem of seagulls dragging litter out of the playground bins, by sourcing new seagull proof ones to replace them.

Drummond Community High introduced recycling bins to communal areas in the school, to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill. St Cuthbert’s Primary School’s Eco-Committee purchased extra bins for the playground after finding there were not enough. 

Ratho Primary School started a weekly class litter picking rota, with the nursery children working with their P6 buddies. Blackhall Nursery children learned about the effects of plastics on the environment and wanted to make long term changes at nursery and at home, so the nursery no longer uses plastic glitter or wet wipes. They also filled two perspex boxes with littered items to see which materials decompose and which don’t.

St Margaret’s RC Primary School pupils made posters which were displayed around the school to promote the use of bins. Arbor Green Nursery introduced regular activities promoting the 3 Rs – reduce, reuse and recycle. At Hermitage Park Primary School there was already a minimal amount of litter in the playground, and pupils aimed to decrease it even more..

Kirkliston Nursery School children joined in with a local community spring walk, talked about the litter in the local community garden and why we shouldn’t drop litter, and did a litter pick, recycling the items they collected. St Mary’s RC Primary School adopted a local street and encouraged residents to join in and pledge to take action on the problem.

Through the Eco-Schools Scotland programme, Keep Scotland Beautiful aims to make action to tackle climate change and environmental awareness an intrinsic part of the life and ethos of schools, for both pupils and for staff.

The programme provides a framework to engage the wider school community in climate action aligned with the purposes of Curriculum for Excellence and Learning for Sustainability.

To complete the Green Flag journey each school has a choice of ten topics to engage with, from climate action, to food and the environment, to litter, to energy. The schools also choose one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to link their Eco-Schools work to.

Catherine Gee, Deputy Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “I’d like to congratulate the Eco-Committee, pupils and staff at each of these schools, who have worked so hard to play their part in combatting climate change and achieve their Green Flag Award. 

“This is particularly impressive during a time of unprecedented adjustment and change to education due to the pandemic and is testament to the resilience and creativity of both pupils and educators.

“Keep Scotland Beautiful is committed to supporting all our children, young people and educators through our climate action schools activities to develop the capacities, skills and attributes required to protect our planet and work towards our goal of a Net Zero future.”

More information about the world’s largest sustainable schools programme and Eco-Schools Scotland can be found at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/eco-schools

Scottish Water launches Nature Calls environmental campaign

#BinWipes

#JoinTheWave

Scotland is being urged to bin all wipes – and ban wipes containing plastic – in a major new campaign to help protect the environment.

Scottish Water is asking the public to join forces to avoid sewer blockages, flooding, and pollution by consigning wipes to the bin.

And it is also calling on governments north and south of the border to work together to ban wipes made with plastic.

The new nationwide campaign – Nature Calls – is backed by a range of other organisations, including the Marine Conservation Society, Keep Scotland Beautiful and Zero Waste Scotland.

Join The Wave

Help us reduce the impact of wipes containing plastic by backing our ban.

Find out more

Douglas Millican, Scottish Water Chief Executive, said: “Our message to our customers is clear: please bin the wipes and help us protect the environment.

“And to policymakers we say now is the time to ban all wipes containing plastic and rid our sewers, rivers and beaches of this needless problem. Last year, more than 10,000 tonnes of material – the equivalent of 80 blue whales – was removed from Scotland’s waste water plants.

“Many thousands of tonnes more ended up blocking sewers, causing flooding, or being flushed into rivers during storms and heavy rain. Research by the Marine Conservation Society shows that wipes are now the most common cause of beach pollution.

“Wipes are an understandable convenience item – but many contain plastic, that cause serious problems when disposed of inappropriately by flushing down the toilet – blocked sewers, homes flooded with sewage, and pollution on our beaches and rivers.

“Every year our teams deal with around 36,000 blockages at a cost to customers of £7 million annually and around 80 per cent of the blockages we attend feature wipes. Members of the public, communities, campaigners, manufacturers, retailers and governments must all work together to do the right thing for nature now and for generations to come.”

The Nature Calls campaign was launched at Cramond this morning supported by Scottish Water volunteers taking part in a beach clean.

The campaign will feature adverts on multiple channels through February and March.

More information is available at www.jointhewave.scot

Nature Calls wipes

Wipes at Paisley Water Treatment Works

Environment Minister Mairi McAllan said: “The actions we take at home can help protect Scotland’s world-renowned rivers, lochs, wetlands and seas.

“Flushing inappropriate items contributes to serious blockages in our sewers, unsightly debris in our rivers and can cause great harm to our marine environment; by being aware of this and changing our habits we can all help protect our precious, rivers seas and wildlife.

“Every year, hundreds of millions of pieces of single-use plastic are wasted in this country – they litter our coasts, pollute our oceans and contribute to the climate emergency. Scotland was the first country in the UK to ban plastic-stemmed cotton buds and we have taken action to place market restrictions on plastic microbeads.

“We are pursuing proposals to ban some of the most problematic single-use plastic items, such as straws and plastic cutlery, subject to the impact of the UK Internal Market Act 2020.

“We support the calls to ban wet wipes containing plastic and encourage the UK Government and other administrations to work with us to bring forward bans on unnecessary and environmentally harmful products.”

A wide range of organisations have voiced support for Nature Calls.

Catherine Gemmell, Scotland Conservation Officer for the Marine Conservation Society, said: “A staggering 30,000 wet wipes have been picked up by our volunteers right here on Cramond beach over the last five years. It’s not just a problem here though. At last year’s Great British Beach Clean we found an average of 25 wet wipes for every 100m of Scottish beach surveyed. 

“Our toilets can still sadly be gateways to the ocean which is why incorrectly flushed items like plastic wet wipes can be found on beaches across Scotland. We need to stop plastic items, like wet wipes, getting into the sewer system and out in the ocean.

“That’s why we’re supporting the Nature Calls campaign to ban plastic wet wipes and help reduce the number of wipes mis-flushed. Show your support for wet wipe free beaches and seas by supporting the campaign too!”

Keep Scotland Beautiful Chief Executive Barry Fisher said: “I’m delighted to see Scottish Water highlighting this important issue, encouraging everyone to be more conscious of the environmental impact of plastic wipes.

“We want doing the right thing for our environment to be easy and possible for everyone – including manufacturers finding affordable alternatives to plastic free wipes. This will make sure that industry contributes to the future without wipes that clog up our waterways and oceans, harming wildlife and permanently changing our environment.

“Scotland is facing a climate and litter emergency, so action to find affordable solutions to plastic free wipes is needed to protect the future of our country. This campaign will help industry and individuals to understand that their actions can and do make a difference.”

Zero Waste Scotland Chief Executive Iain Gulland said: “It is great to see campaigns like this become more prominent in tackling the urgent problem of single-use items. At Zero Waste Scotland, we understand just how important it is to ban single-use plastic – and single-use items in general. 

“We champion more sustainable ways of operating, which is why we love to see efforts, like Nature Calls from Scottish Water, grabbing attention and encouraging us all to think about our throw-away culture. Each time we choose to reuse we are one step closer to a more circular economy that will help alleviate Scotland’s contribution to the climate crisis.”

Simon Jones, Director of Environment and Visitor Services at Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, said: “Our lochs and rivers are a crucial part of what makes the National Park, and Scotland, such a special place. Not only beautiful to look at and enjoy, but these water bodies are also vital wildlife habitats and keeping them as healthy as possible helps us tackle both the climate and nature crises.

“Sadly, wipes can get into these water bodies causing harm to water quality, wildlife, and their beauty. We consider them a form of pollution and therefore we are supporting the call for wipes containing plastic to be banned and urge everyone to do their bit by never flushing wipes.”

Lang Banks, Director, WWF Scotland, said: “At every step in its lifecycle, even long after it has been discarded, plastic causes harm to wildlife and contributes to the climate crisis we’re facing today.

“If we’re to stop climate change and eliminate plastic pollution from our oceans, we need to rapidly phase out unnecessary single-use plastics and that includes a ban on wipes made with plastic.”

David Field, CEO of the Royal Zoological Society Scotland, said: “At RZSS we’re inspiring and enabling our visitors and communities to do their bit to protect our planet and the wildlife we share it with. We want to make it as easy as possible to be a champion for nature. 

“We’re supporting the Nature Calls campaign because one of the simplest actions we can each take is to stop putting wet wipes and plastic products down our drains and we agree that wipes containing plastic should be banned.

“Not only does flushing these items cause flooding and pollution as they block and break pipes, but they end up littering our beaches and oceans and killing wildlife.”

Spring Clean Scotland: Get involved!

Does litter bug you?  Do you want to do something about it?  This spring, environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful is calling for Scotland’s communities to join a Spring Clean challenge from 21 March-21 April to help clean up our country.

Spending more time outdoors was an unexpected benefit of lockdown. But along with our renewed appreciation of nature, many of us realised Scotland is facing a huge litter problem. Our research revealed that 88% of Scots agree that litter is a problem across Scotland. And 70% are concerned about litter in their area.

If you feel frustrated about the litter in your community or the places you visit, you can do something about it. Spring Clean Scotland is the perfect opportunity to make a difference by picking up litter on your local beach, streets, parks and beyond. Get involved and help make the places we care about cleaner and safer for people and animals.

Every action, however small, makes a difference. Just half an hour of picking up litter and disposing of it safely can help an area look cleaner and feel safer, and evidence shows it also prevents more litter being dropped. 

Why not organise a litter pick with friends, family, workmates or your wider community? Or find one to join in with on Keep Scotland Beautiful’s Clean Up Scotland map.

We know young people feel strongly about caring for the environment and want to do something about the harmful effects of litter in their communities. Your school can get involved too. As part of Spring Clean, there is a Live Lesson open to all schools across the UK.

Barry Fisher, CEO of Keep Scotland Beautiful said, “Across Scotland we have seen a steady increase in the amount of litter over the past decade. While this is a real challenge, we are heartened by the incredible work of litter picking heroes up and down the country.

“Our communities already play a vital role in taking action to tackle litter, with many people giving up their time to clean up their local areas despite the challenges of the last two years.

“We would love as many people as possible to join in and give Scotland a spring clean this March and April.

“For those that wish to take further action, The Scottish Government is currently consulting on a revised National Litter and Flytipping Strategy and you can still respond until the end of March and have #YourSayOnLitter.”

Inspired to take positive action? Learn more and sign up to join in here:

www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/springclean.