Mary joins the battle to banish the bottles
SHE is the quintessentially British TV star recognised across the world for her role as a Bake Off judge. Now Mary Berry has created the perfect recipe to save the nation from a tide of litter which spoils our countryside and beaches.
She has backed proposals for a bottle deposit scheme to halt a wave of poison caused by discarded plastic and glass bottles and drinks polluting the environment.
The former Great British Bake Off judge claims it would be ‘fantastic’ if the initiative were introduced and helped to clean up the country’s beaches, countryside and streets.
Under proposals for the scheme backed by the Scottish Daily Mail, customers would pay up to 10p extra on all bottles or cans they purchase but would get the money back if they return the empty containers to collection points in supermarkets, stores and shopping centres.
Mrs Berry, whose mother, Marjorie, was born in Alexandria, Dunbartonshire, is the latest person to call for a bottle deposit scheme alongside a number of businesses, organisations and politicians.
She has recently been in Scotland filming her new series Mary Berry Everyday describing the country as ‘beautiful’.
A keen recycler, Mrs Berry revealed that she believes the best way to clean up the country’s beaches, countryside and streets would be to introduce a bottle deposit scheme.
She was appearing on the BBC’s One Show this week to promote her new show when she backed the initiative.
In a segment prior to Mrs Berry’s interview the show’s hosts had been discussing recycling schemes across the country – revealing that there are currently more than 300 in the UK.
It was then that Mrs Berry revealed she is a keen recycler, adding: ‘I have got four bins and we do it very carefully. I like it [sorting out recycling].
‘I get very cross when someone puts the milk carton in with the glass.’
But, she then suggested: ‘What about a deposit on plastic and glass bottles. Wouldn’t that be a good idea. Fantastic.’
Mrs Berry has been in the Highlands filming for her new television series alongside Scots chef Tom Kitchin.
She said: ‘Scotland is beautiful. We were in the Highlands and I was cooking outside so I put on all the puffers and everything warm I had got. Tom Kitchin, who is a great expert in everything that comes from Scotland, and we were barbecuing outside.
‘I was making whisky cream, you can’t go to Scotland without whisky, and I added rather more whisky than I should. It was so cold there were midges, there was a haar, a mist, but just forget all that, the surroundings were amazing. We had the loch behind us, it was so lovely.’
Earlier this week 11 outdoor and sporting organisations sent a letter to Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham calling for her to introduce a deposit scheme for drink containers. They said litter ‘poses a direct threat’ to those enjoying the outdoors.
The campaign has gained cross-party support at Holyrood, with the environment committee forming a task force to investigate if a deposit scheme will clean up the country.