Single use plastic

In today’s ‘throwaway culture’, convenience items have become commonplace in the home and in the workplace. From disposable cups, plates and cutlery to straws and single use bags, there has been significant media attention around the use of these items that end up in landfill or litter. Many end up in our seas and on beaches, causing harm to wildlife, marine life and blighting our landscape.

The first-ever Europe-wide strategy on plastics was adopted by the European Commission on 16 January 2018 as part of the transition towards a more circular economy. Under the new plans, all plastic packaging on the EU market will be recyclable by 2030, the consumption of single-use plastics will be reduced and the intentional use of microplastics will be restricted. The Scottish Government has pledged to match the EU ban on single use plastics by 2030 and has announced a range of other initiatives including:

• Introduction of legislation to ban the manufacture and sale of plastic stemmed cotton buds with the proposals to be put to public consultation and if implemented would position Scotland as the first country in the UK to legislate against these environmentally damaging items
• Commitment to a deposit return scheme
• Establishing an expert panel to consider environmental levies on single-use items such as disposable coffee cups We have been reviewing the council’s use of single use items and are seeking to reduce their use across our services. Where items cannot be removed or more appropriate replacement identified we are investigating the most environmentally responsible way to dispose of the item.

Employees are being asked to use reusable cups and cutlery in the workplace where possible, whether in the office, visiting council coffee shops or using the water dispensers. Using refillable water bottles, for example, when going to the gym or for kids taking to school not only saves money but helps reduce the amount of plastic making its way into the waste system. Reducing the number of single use items that can be replaced with reusable alternatives is good for your pocket and for the environment.

We would love to hear your feedback or suggestions for where we can do our bit for the environment. You can email sustainability@southlanarkshire.gov.uk and for more information on how you can contribute to the council’s environmental commitments please see the Council’s
Environmental Statement.