Praise for cotton buds move

A BAN on cotton buds will cut Scotland’s contribution to marine plastic pollution in half, environmental groups said yesterday as they hailed the move.

The Scottish Government yesterday confirmed proposals to ban plastic-stemmed cotton buds in the latest bid to tackle the pollution choking our seas.

And Nicola Sturgeon promised a series of other measures to tackle the problem, which include considering a ban on plastic straws and a ‘latte levy’ on single-use coffee cups.

She will launch a consultation by spring on the proposal to outlaw the manufacture or sale of plastic-stemmed cotton buds.

Following the announcement, Dr Richard Dixon, director of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: ‘This decisive action is great news for the environment and wildlife.

‘Cotton buds are a very visible sign of our hugely wasteful habits, turning up on beaches across the globe.

‘Manufacturers and supermarkets are moving in the right direction but this single measure will guarantee that Scotland cuts its contribution to marine plastic pollution in half.’

An average of nearly 27 cotton buds were found for every 320ft of beach surveyed in the Marine Conservation Society’s 2017 Great British Beach Clean.

Alasdair Neilson, of environmental charity Fidra which has been campaigning to end the use of plastic cotton buds, said: ‘This progressive step will be welcomed by everyone who has seen cotton buds polluting our beaches and harming our wildlife.

‘Let’s hope it also marks a bigger shift in the way we use and value plastics.’

The issue was also raised at First Minister’s Questions, where Miss Sturgeon accused Theresa May of a lack of urgency with her 25-year plastics plan.

And Kate Forbes, the Nationalist MSP who last week launched a campaign to ban plastic straws, also said faster action is achievable, pointing to the successful campaign by school children in Ullapool which led to a ban in the village.