single use plastic – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

1240 Edinburgh households take part in The Big Plastic Count

100 BILLION pieces of plastic packaging are estimated to be thrown away by UK households every year

81,272 pieces of plastic were thrown away in one week by 1240 households in Edinburgh, according to the UK’s largest ever survey of household plastic waste.

For one week in May, just under 100,000 households across the UK – nearly a quarter of a million people – counted their plastic packaging waste and sent their results to Greenpeace and Everyday Plastic as part of The Big Plastic Count.

On average, each UK household threw away 66 pieces of plastic packaging in one week, with Edinburgh households being in line with this average. UK-wide, this amounts to an estimated 3,432 pieces per household when applied over a year.

Therefore, nearly 100 billion pieces of plastic packaging are estimated to be thrown away by UK households every year, with just 12% likely to be recycled in the UK. More of the UK’s household plastic waste (17%) is being shipped overseas than being recycled at home.

Almost half (46%) of the UK’s household plastic waste is being incinerated whilst the remaining 25% is buried in landfill.

83% of the plastic recorded was from food and drink packaging waste, with the most common item being fruit and vegetable packaging.

Marlena from Leith said: “I’m horrified to learn that just 12% of the plastic we produce is likely to be recycled, and that the rest ends up as pollution.

“I sort my plastic waste and recycle what I can, but it’s clear that this system can’t cope with all our waste, and that it’s up to Government and big brands to reduce the amount of plastic being produced in the first place.

“According to my plastic footprint, I use around 50 bits of plastic a week. 89% of that is for food and drink alone. Most of this plastic is designed to be used once and then thrown away. If supermarkets reduced the amount of fruit and vegetable wrapping, we could really cut down on plastic waste.”

This year, the government is starting to decide on legal targets to reduce waste. Greenpeace Edinburgh is calling on the Government to set legally binding targets to almost entirely eliminate single-use plastic, starting with a target of a 50% cut in single-use plastic by 2025.

Alternatives should be affordable, reusable and accessible, including to those with disabilities. Greenpeace Edinburgh volunteers are also calling for a ban on the dumping of our waste onto other countries, and for a UK-wide moratorium on new incineration capacity.

Graphics to illustrate the findings of the Big Plastic Count. The country’s largest ever survey of household plastic waste can reveal that nearly 100 billion pieces of plastic are binned in the UK every year, with just 12% likely to be recycled.

Marlena continued: “When we were out and about in the Meadows and Portobello talking to local residents about The Big Plastic Count, people were really keen to take part, and to find out what really happens to the plastic they put into the bin or to the recycling bag.

“So I’m pleased that Edinburgh North and Leith MP Deidre Brock spoke at the results event in Parliament this week, and urge all of our local MPs to call on the Westminster Government for the ambitious plastic reduction targets that we urgently need”.

Final-Big-Plastic-Count-Results-Report-V2 Download

Coffee cup charge plans re-introduced

Campaigners call for more ambition

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater has announced the formation of an advisory group that will shape plans for mandatory charges on coffee cups and other single-use disposable beverage containers.

Work to tackle single-use cup waste is re-starting, having been paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The charge is expected to come into effect during the course of this parliament.

The group will contain representatives from every stage of the supply chain – from manufacturers and distributors through small and large retailers – as well as consumer groups, environmental NGOs, equalities groups and academics.

Charging for single-use cups will help encourage people to make the move to reusable alternatives and support the shift to a more circular economy.

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “Single-use coffee cups are a classic example of the throwaway culture that we are taking action to tackle.

“Lots of people already carry a reusable cup with them, but hundreds of millions of single-use cups are still being wasted every single year.

“Evidence shows that a small charge on single-use cups can be hugely effective in encouraging people to switch to a reusable alternative.

“I look forward to working with experts representing business, the environment and consumers to take forward this important measure. Alongside Scotland’s deposit return scheme, which will recycle nearly two billion bottles and cans every year, and our action to ban some of the most problematic single-use plastics, this will make a vital contribution to reducing the amount of waste generated in the country.”

Iain Gulland, Chief Executive, Zero Waste Scotland, said: “Single-use items, like cups, are emblematic of the throwaway culture we need to change if we want to tackle the climate crisis.

“We know there’s an appetite for action on such items, with a recent Zero Waste Scotland survey indicating that 66 per cent of Scots would support introducing charges to limit the use of single-use plastic and packaging.

“Switching to reusable over single-use is one of the best things we can all do for the environment, so it’s hugely welcome news that work to shape a chargeable cup scheme is continuing with the formation of an advisory group.”

Campaigners are calling for more ambition, however. Friends of the Earth Scotland point out that disposable cups are a small part of Scotland’s overall material footprint. Scotland consumed 100 million tonnes of materials in 2017, and must reduce this by 57% to become environmentally sustainable.

Removing disposable cups completely would be less than 0.01% (4,000 tonnes) of the change that is needed.

Kim Pratt, circular economy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland said: “Disposable cups are a symbol of our linear economy that we need to move away from, but we simply do not have the time to change our economy one product at a time.

“The Scottish Government must go further and faster on this, and it needs to use the charge introduction to learn lessons that can be applied more widely.

“Over-consumption is causing the climate crisis, and changing our culture of consumption is a key part of the solution. The Circular Economy Bill, which is being consulted on by the Scottish Government in May, is a vital opportunity to make the whole system change that is needed.”

82% of Scotland’s carbon footprint relates to material consumption. From buildings and transport to food and clothing, we use materials in a linear way: extracting raw materials, making them into products, using them (sometimes only once) and throwing them away to be burnt or buried.

Cutting our material consumption to sustainable levels will support Scotland to reach its climate goals.

Campaigners call for speedy ban on Single-Use Plastic

The Scottish Government has been urged to act quickly on the public demand for a ban on single-use plastic items in Scotland.

A 12-week public consultation which ended on Monday 4th January was seeking views on the introduction of restrictions on the sale of items including single-use plastic cutlery, plates, straws, drink stirrers and balloon sticks. Exemptions are likely for products such as plastic straws provided for medical use and to support independent living.

Experts estimate that each year in Scotland, we use an estimated 300 million plastic straws, 276 million pieces of plastic cutlery and 66 million polystyrene food containers. Campaigners say that any delay to action will mean millions more pieces of plastic will end up in landfill or potentially polluting our beaches and waterways.

Under the EU’s Single-Use Plastic Directive, Member States have to introduce restrictions on the sale of some of the most environmentally-harming single-use plastic products by July 2021. The Scottish Government announced in their 2019-2020 Programme for Government that it planned to meet or exceed the standards set out in the Directive.

More than 1900 people who took action online via Friends of the Earth Scotland backed the Scottish Government’s plans to ban single-use plastic items. They also called for a Just Transition for workers in Grangemouth with the phasing out of fossil-fuel-based plastic production. Ineos is the UK’s largest producer of plastic using fracked gas transported from the USA.

Friends of the Earth Scotland Plastic and Circular Economy Campaigner Sarah Moyes said: “The public response clearly shows that people are concerned about plastic pollution in Scotland and want to see action to tackle these persistent polluters. The knife and fork we use for a quick bite to eat shouldn’t endure beyond our lifetime sitting in landfill for hundreds of years.

“Plastic pollutes at every stage of its life cycle from the oil and gas extracted to produce it, to the end products which litter our environment. In order to get to the heart of the plastic problem, we must also look beyond this list of products and address the fact that Ineos, one of the biggest producers of plastic in Europe is right on our doorstep.”

The Single-Use Plastic Directive is part of wider work to reduce waste in Scotland. Campaigners raised concerns about how other measures to tackle waste such as the Deposit Return Scheme introduction have been delayed, the Circular Economy Bill was shelved and a ban on biodegradable municipal waste going to landfill was pushed back by 4 years.

Sarah Moyes said: “Scotland could soon be on our way to having communities across the country freed from litter and waste, and that’s why it’s imperative that the Scottish Government moves quickly to ban these polluting plastic items.

“Even a delay of just six months will lead to hundreds of millions of extra pieces of disposable plastic circulating in Scotland. The longer we invest in or support the fossil fuel industry, the longer we lock Scotland into increasing emissions that fuel the escalating climate crisis.

“If we want to avoid further climate breakdown then we must redirect support away from the plastic industry, like Ineos, instead planning and managing the shift in partnership with trade unions, workers and communities to ensure a Just Transition to a clean industry that moves us towards a circular economy.”

Survey highlights Edinburgh residents’ concerns over single-use plastics

YouGov poll shows impact on marine environment and litter as top concerns

A survey has revealed the concern Edinburgh residents have around single-use plastic items and packaging – and more than three quarters of people (77%) living in Edinburgh and Lothian¹ would support introducing charges, similar to the carrier bag charge, to cut down their use.

The poll for Zero Waste Scotland highlights that reducing litter was cited by 89% of those backing an additional charge as the reason for their support. This was followed by reducing harm to the marine environment (88%) and to help stop/reduce climate change (82%).

Other views included conserving natural resources (80%) and to protect biodiversity (76%).

The survey, carried out by YouGov, comes as the Scottish Government consults on it’s latest steps to reduce the use of single-use items and introduce market restrictions on items most commonly found on beaches in Europe, including plastic cutlery and plastic straws.

Iain Gulland, Zero Waste Scotland chief executive, said: “It is clear from these results that people are worried about the impact single-use plastic items have on our environment.

“These items can last for decades and the damage they can cause to wildlife is shocking. We have to find ways to cut down the stream of items we are sending into what should be pristine habitats and the consultation offers a valuable way for people to contribute to the discussion around market restrictions.”

Views are being sought on the introduction of new legislation to restrict the supply of single-use plastic plates, plastic straws, plastic cutlery, expanded polystyrene food and drink containers, beverage stirrers, plastic balloon sticks and products made from oxo-degradable plastics. Reusable alternatives would continue to be widely available.

These are the most common items found on European beaches and were identified in the EU Single Plastics Directive as contributing the majority share of litter found in the marine environment. The Marine Conservation Society’s 2020 Great British Beach Clean reported an average over 100m of beach surveyed in Scotland 297.9 items of litter (of which 183.6 were plastic items). Six of the top 10 items found are recognised under the EU Single use plastic directive.

Catherine Gemmell, Scotland conservation officer for the Marine Conservation Society, said: “Our volunteers have been on the frontline dealing with single-use plastic and other litter washing up on beaches around Scotland for over two decades. We have to stop single-use plastic at its source.

“It’s encouraging to see so many people in this survey link the single-use plastic issue to the negative impact it has on Scottish seas and wildlife. Now, we’re asking them to go one step further and respond to the Scottish Government consultation and add their support for banning several single-use plastic items.

“We hope the Scottish Government will take swift action and bring in further measures to move Scotland towards a circular economy where nothing is wasted or thrown away, negatively impacting our seas and beaches.”

Barry Fisher, CEO of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “Single-use plastic items are extremely damaging to our environment, blighting our landscapes as litter, polluting our rivers and seas, and contributing to higher greenhouse gas emissions.

“Our Upstream Battle campaign has shown that plastic, much of it single-use, makes up almost half of all litter in rivers and streams in the Clyde Valley, which ultimately ends up in our seas.

“So, we are very pleased to see the Scottish Government consulting on banning a range of single-use plastic items – we wholeheartedly support the proposals in the consultation paper.

“We are also encouraged that Scottish Government are asking, as part of the consultation, if there are other single-use items which should be banned and we will be pushing for this to include plastic cigarette filters and wet wipes containing plastic.”

According to Scottish Government figures around four fifths (80%) of Scotland’s carbon footprint comes from all the goods, materials and services that we produce, use and often throw out after minimal use².

Part of the consultation process is to understand how access can be maintained for people who require items that perform a vital function that cannot be easily replaced. For example, straws may be required for medical use or to support independent living.

The Single Use Plastic Directive Consultation closes on 4 January 2021.

For more details visit – https://consult.gov.scot/zero-waste-delivery/introducing-market-restrictions-on-single-use-plas/

Morrisons asks food and drinks brands to help fight war on plastic

– Morrisons to work with brands to reduce plastic in products and packaging –

– Supermarket’s packaging and technical teams on hand to offer support –

Morrisons has asked its branded suppliers to help fight the war on plastic, as part of its commitment to reduce the amount of the material in its stores and supply chain operations.

The supermarket made the appeal at its annual supplier conference, to which 1,600 suppliers were invited.

Morrisons is asking its branded suppliers to reduce plastic in both product packaging and on the shelf display packaging, as well as in the materials in which these products are transported to stores.

It is hoped that this will remove thousands of tonnes of plastic from the supermarket’s shelves a year – and make it easier for customers to reduce the amount of plastic they are purchasing.

Advice and guidance will be offered by Morrisons technical teams to help brands to reduce their plastic packaging. As the supermarket is ‘vertically integrated’ – and manufactures more than half of the fresh food it sells – it is in a unique position to be able to offer support to the industry.

Andy Atkinson, Group Commercial Director at Morrisons said: “As the UK’s biggest fresh food maker we are committed to helping our customers live their life with less plastic. So we are asking our branded suppliers to join with us in reducing our plastic footprint as this is a priority for our customers.”

Morrisons has committed to a 50% reduction across its own brand primary plastic packaging by 2025. Initiatives introduced over the last 12 months will remove 9,000 tonnes of unnecessary or problematic plastic each year. Eighty three per cent of its own-brand plastic packaging is now able to be recycled.

In 2019 Morrisons was voted the most environmentally responsible company in the UK for its work on plastics reduction at the Responsible Business Awards, run by HRH The Prince of Wales’ Business in the Community Network. Greenpeace has also repeatedly ranked Morrisons second in the supermarket industry for its plastic reduction achievements.

Morrisons work on plastic reduction sits alongside other sustainability commitments made by the supermarket including net zero emissions by 2040, a zero-deforestation plan and a 50% reduction in operational food waste by 2030.

For more details on Morrisons sustainability commitments visit:

https://www.morrisons-corporate.com/cr/corporate-responsibility/.

Consultation launched on banning common single-use plastic items

Plans to ban some of the most environmentally damaging single-use plastic items in Scotland, including plastic cutlery and plastic straws, have been published for consultation.

The Scottish Government is seeking views on the introduction of new legislation to restrict the sale or commercial supply of plastic plates, plastic straws, plastic cutlery, polystyrene food and drink containers, plastic balloon sticks and products made from oxo-degradable plastics.

These items are the ones most commonly found washed up on European beaches and were identified in the EU Single Plastics Directive as contributing the majority share of litter found in the marine environment.

Millions are used in Scotland each year, including an estimated 300 million plastic straws, 276 million pieces of plastic cutlery, 50 million plastic plates and 66 million polystyrene food containers.

Restrictions on the sale or commercial supply of these single use plastic products would support efforts to tackle Scotland’s throwaway culture, reduce problematic litter and promote the use of more environmentally-friendly alternatives.

Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: “There is no longer any doubt that plastic waste is having a hugely damaging impact on our oceans, rivers and land ecosystems.

“We must act now to reduce our reliance on single-use plastic and drive forward a move towards more sustainable, environmentally-friendly alternatives.

“Failure to do so is a dereliction of our duty to our children, who will inherit a natural world polluted by the plastics we have thrown away for the sake of convenience.

“This government is committed to tackling this problem. We were the first country in the UK to ban plastic-stemmed cotton buds and plans are well underway for a Deposit Return Scheme in Scotland.

“The proposals published today will take us further – keeping pace with the environmental standards of our European partners and re-affirming our position as a world-leader in the circular economy.

“However, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that the introduction of these measures is carefully considered. It is why we are keen to hear a range of views and I would encourage any individual, business or organisation with an interest to respond to the consultation.”

It is expected that any legislation would be introduced in 2021. The consultation will also seek views on the introduction of a ban on the non-commercial supply and manufacture of the single-use plastic items outlined in the consultation.

Iain Gulland, chief executive of Zero Waste Scotland, said: “Plastic is by far the most commonly used material in today’s single-use culture. There are clear benefits in use, of flexibility and durability, but plastic also causes significant damage when it leaks into our natural environment, including our rivers, lochs and seas.

“The consultation offers an opportunity to protect wildlife and prevent the heart-breaking scenes we see all too often in TV documentaries like Blue Planet 2. We hope people will also take this opportunity to adopt more sustainable solutions, such as reusable alternatives, to these single-use items.”

View the consultation on Citizen Space. The consultation will be open for 12 weeks and close on 04 January 2021 .

The full list of products being considered for market restrictions are:

Single-use plastic cutlery (forks, knives, spoons, chopsticks)
Single-use plastic plates (plates, trays/platters, bowls)
Single-use plastic straws
Single-use plastic beverage stirrers
Single-use plastic balloon sticks
Single-use food containers made of expanded polystyrene
Single-use cups and other beverage containers made of expanded polystyrene, including their covers and lids
All oxo-degradable products. This type of plastic (due to additives contained in it) contributes to micro-plastic pollution in the environment, is not compostable and negatively affects the recycling of conventional plastic.

Restricting these items would bring Scotland in line with Article 5 of the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive (EU) 2019/904.

Ending Scotland’s throwaway culture

Experts advise on replacing single-use items

A new report sets out how we must focus on reducing our dependence on single-use items and highlights the impact the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had on people’s behaviour, with new single-use items becoming part of everyday life.

It proposes five principles that can be used to consider how single-use items like cups, cutlery and sauce sachets can be reduced or replaced with alternatives to help combat waste and support Scotland’s journey to net zero.

It’s the second report to be published by a panel of experts tasked by the Scottish Government with advising how we can reduce our reliance on single-use items. Their first report, on disposable beverage cups, recommended a charge should be introduced.

The panel’s second suite of advice is intended to provide long-term support to decision making on reducing or removing single-use items from circulation, focusing attention on current problem items but also offering the framework of principles to help assess action when new single-use items become prevalent.

Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: “We were making substantial progress against single-use plastics before the Coronavirus pandemic and await evidence about the extent to which it has changed public attitudes and consumption of plastics and other single-use items.

“What is clear is that we must learn from our experience of lockdown – how we work, how we travel, how we live – and apply this to our approach to becoming a net-zero society.

“As this report points out, a thriving circular economy will play a critical role in ending Scotland’s contribution to climate change, and we must all – government, businesses, industry and individuals – be a part of driving this.

“I welcome this report, which will support our continuing journey to net zero and am grateful to the panel for the considered and expert advice they have provided .”

Chair of the Expert Panel on Environmental Charges and Other Measures Dame Sue Bruce said: “I hope that the Five Principles for Tackling Single-use Items will be useful to policy makers and organisations who want to use this opportunity to develop greener ways of working as they prepare for the “new normal” by considering how they can reduce dependence on single-use items and to focus on being part of the green recovery.

“There has never been a better time to take steps to reduce environmental harm arising from our everyday habits. This must continue to be a priority for us all if we are to achieve the goal of being a net-zero society by 2045.”

The report Ending the Throwaway Culture: Five Principles for Tackling Single-use Items is available on the Scottish Government website.

The five principles recommended by the Expert Panel to help policy design on single-use items are:

Essential Functions: Is the single-use item essential?
Evidence: What is known about the problem?
Equality: In solving the issue can we ensure equality?
Engagement: Who can tell us more about the issue?
Entire System: How is single-use reinforced by current practices, habits and infrastructure?