The city council’s Transport and Environment Committee has agreed a comprehensive action plan to improve the city’s waste and cleansing services. Councillors rubber-stamped the 65-point plan yesterday. Continue reading Council acts to improve rubbish service
“A great deal can be achieved when we look beyond clean up and work to prevent the problem occurring in the first place” – Ian Gulland, Zero Waste Scotland
Organisations in Edinburgh and the Lothians are being urged to take advantage of new grant funding to target litter prevention in their area. Continue reading Grant funding available to help community litter prevention
Charge for single use carrier bags begins today
Scotland aims to slash its huge consumption of single-use carrier bag through the introduction of a minimum 5p charge on every bag dispensed.
With over 800 million given out every year, Scots currently use the most per head of any part of the UK and a significant number of these end up as litter.
The charge covers all retailers, no matter the size or type. So it’s not just supermarkets and other food retailers, but high street stores and smaller outlets like corner shops and takeaways. It will apply equally to bags made from plastic, paper and biodegradable materials. Shoppers can avoid the charge by remembering to re-use bags or bringing bags for life for their purchases.
Speaking at Tesco Elgin, which is pledging the funds raised to Keep Scotland Beautiful, Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said: “I’m extremely proud that this landmark legislation is now in force. Our carrier bag addiction is symptomatic of our throwaway culture and has serious implications for the environment. Huge numbers of these bags end up as litter, blighting our communities and clogging up our seas and natural habitats, affecting many sorts of wildlife and marine species in particular.
“We want that to change and for people to stop and think about whether they really need to take another bag. Alternatives like bags for life are easy to get and are much more sustainable.
“It’s extremely heartening to see so many retailers have signed up to the Carrier Bag Commitment, which includes a pledge to donate money raised through the charge to good causes around Scotland. Preparations for the charge coming in have been months in the planning and my thanks go to all those involved.
“We’ve seen that similar charges have been extremely successful in other countries such as Wales and Northern Ireland. I’m confident that Scotland can experience similar benefits and look forward to seeing a significant reduction in our use of carrier bags over the coming months and years.”
Iain Gulland, Director, Zero Waste Scotland said: “In Scotland we use hundreds of millions of single-use bags a year – an absurdity when you consider the resources used to make and transport an item for one use, before ending up as landfill or litter.
“The Carrier Bag Charge is an extremely positive step to cut the number of bags in circulation and prevent them ending up as litter, as well as encouraging re-use habits among shoppers.
“Zero Waste Scotland has been working with retailers across Scotland to help them prepare for the charge. We’re delighted so many have already registered for our Carrier Bag Commitment, agreeing to donate proceeds from bag sales to good causes, and we look forward to many more coming on board.”
FRINGE STAR HELPS COUNCIL CLEAN UP ITS ACT
Cheeky Fringe stalwart Craig Hill kept it clean when he helped City of Edinburgh Council’s street cleansing team spruce up the capital during the Festival.
The comedy veteran and Edinburgh resident pitched in to help the local task force tackle one of the summer’s busiest spots, against the familiar backdrop of his own promotional posters at Middle Meadow Walk.
Craig is one of hundreds of performers to be promoting their shows using the Council’s official advertising, which for the first year will generate thousands of pounds towards keeping the city clean during the festival.
The scheme, now in is in its fourth year, dissuades illegal fly-posters by providing alternative advertising opportunities, saving the Council up to £350,000 on the cost of cleaning away flyers and posters.
And now, for the first time, revenue from the advertising contract with print and distribution company Out of Hand, in partnership with Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, will be ploughed back into keeping the city beautiful for residents and visitors.
Money gained from the contract to advertise on Council-owned assets will be used to fund additional street cleansing and litter capacity over the busy festival period.
Environment Convener, Councillor Lesley Hinds, said: “Last year’s Fringe Festival Advertising proved a real success so now it’s great to be able to harness this to help keep our city beautiful for everyone.
“Edinburgh Festival Fringe is an amazing experience for performers, visitors and people living in Edinburgh, but it has an undoubted impact on the city’s environment.
“That’s why we’re glad to be able to work with Out of Hand and Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society to provide a solution benefitting both citizens and those making the most of this world-famous festival.”
The City of Edinburgh Council’s outdoor advertising poster project, delivered by Out of Hand, provides different styles of advertising on around 900 Council-owned assets throughout the city, including wrap-around lamp post advertising and tower columns.
Revenue gained from advertising of performances during the period will fund operational costs associated with the Fringe.
Amongst these measures are the employment of more than 70 temporary street cleaners to patrol the city’s streets to tackle litter resulting from increased footfall and a batch of extra large bins, to be located in some of the city’s busiest areas to cope with the rise in rubbish.
Comedian Craig Hill added: “Edinburgh is so gorgeous I’m really pleased that one of the Council’s priorities is keeping it clean because it’s too beautiful a city to mess up!”
People dropping litter or flytipping in Scotland risk being hit with higher financial penalties from today (1 April).
The rise in Fixed Penalty Notices will see those caught littering face an £80 penalty; while those flytipping could be £200 worse off. The move follows a public consultation, which supported tougher penalties for anyone who doesn’t bin their waste or damages our environment by flytipping.
The penalty increase comes ahead of the Scottish Government’s National Litter Strategy – the first since devolution, which will be published later this year alongside the Scottish Marine Litter Strategy.
Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said: “Scotland’s natural environment is one of our greatest assets and we must do everything we can to keep it clean and litter-free. It is easy to do the right thing and put your litter in the bin – there really is no excuse for littering.
“Tackling litter and flytipping costs us a staggering £78 million every year. It’s impacting our economy, looks terrible and in some cases is affecting public health – none of us wants to see a litter-strewn environment; be it rural or urban. It’s up to all of us to take responsibility for this problem and I’d encourage everyone in Scotland to take their litter home, recycle it or find a litter bin.”
Cllr Stephen Hagan, COSLA’s Development, Economy and Sustainability Spokesperson commented: “Litter and its effects have significant costs to both communities and councils. Local authorities are committed to working with their communities and partners to reduce the negative impacts of litter and flytipping, and fixed penalty notices are one of a number of ways in which behaviour change can be encouraged.
“The increase from a £50 to £80 penalty for littering had strong support through the National Litter Strategy consultation and councils will seek only to use this increased financial penalty when other avenues of education and prevention have failed to stop those individuals who not only flout the law but also the efforts of the wider community to keep Scotland clean, tidy and litter-free.”
A call to clean up and clamp down on litter on Scotland’s roads has been issued for Scotland’s first Litter Week of Action.
Organised by Zero Waste Scotland on behalf of the Transport Litter Group, the annual day of action has been extended to a week of dedicated action to tackle litter on our roads and railways.
Commuters, employers, and transport providers and support agencies are all being encouraged to get involved from 19– 25 August.
A recent litter audit has revealed that an average of seven bottles and cans can be found on every 100 metres of Scotland’s roads, creating a hazard to road users and wildlife, and costs millions to remove.
Supporters of the Week can help to raise awareness of the negative impact and cost of transport litter. Actions available range from something simple such as adding a web banner to your website or displaying a poster in your workplace; to organising activities such as a day of awareness raising activities or targeted enforcement.
Organisations including BEAR Scotland, Scotland TranServ, Transport Scotland, McDonald’s and various local authorities have already committed to taking part in the Week.
The week of action follows the launch of a new consultation from the Scottish Government which intends to bring forward a final National Litter Strategy – the first since devolution – early in 2014. The “Towards a Litter Free Scotland” consultation will run until 27 September.
Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said: “It is shocking that on average there are four plastic bottles and three drinks cans littered on every 100 metres of our major roads in Scotland. It’s a blight, contributes to punctures and can cause accidents not to mention the fact that clearing it from our road and rail sides is a hazardous task.
“Littering is unacceptable – and in the Year of Natural Scotland and as we approach 2014 when we welcome the world to Scotland, it’s important that we show our country at its best. We have set out action to tackle Scotland’s litter problem in our National Litter Strategy consultation and are asking people to have their say on this during the summer.
“This Litter Week of Action is a great opportunity to highlight this issue and I’d encourage people to work together by taking action during the week so that we can show that littering is not tolerated here.”
Iain Gulland, Director, Zero Waste Scotland said: “2014 is set to be an important year for Scotland, with events including the Ryder Cup, Commonwealth Games and Homecoming, and as such it’s vital that we take steps to rid the country of its litter problem and show it off at its absolute best.
“Litter on the road and in transport hubs doesn’t just look bad, it’s also a waste of valuable resources. Commonly littered items like drinks bottles and cans could be recycled and help to boost the economy.
“I would urge everyone to get involved in this great week of planned activity and help to spread the message that throwing litter from vehicles or public transport is not acceptable.”
To get involved, visit
http://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/content/Transport-Litter-Week-of-Action.
