Tide of litter but just one person fined a week

MORE than 140,000 cans and bottles are discarded in Scotland every day – but only one person a week on average is fined for dropping litter.

A study by independent research firm Eunomia has laid bare the true shocking scale of the country’s litter problem.

The figures sparked calls for ministers to speed up plans for a deposit return scheme on drinks containers, which was announced following a campaign by the Scottish Daily Mail campaign.

According to the research, 744million plastic bottles are sold in Scotland each year. The researchers estimated that 3 per cent end up as litter, meaning 60,000 are thrown away every day.

Based on similar calculations, more than 70,000 cans are littered in Scotland daily, as well as just under 9,000 glass bottles.

John Mayhew, director of the Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland, said: ‘Every day more than 140,000 cans and bottles are littered which would not have found their way into our parks and streams and seas if deposit return had been in place.

‘In the 28 days since the Scottish Government’s consultation results were published, this means an extraordinary four million cans and bottles which would have been recycled rather than littered.

‘Every day we wait is seriously bad news for our environment and communities, so we would urge the Scottish Government to set out a proper timescale and let everyone know when this great project will get under way.’

The study comes as police figures show 52 fixed penalty notices for littering were issued across the country in 2017-18, with only 16 in Glasgow – and none in Edinburgh.

Police Scotland said the number is so low because cash-strapped local authorities are mainly responsible for targeting the problem. A spokesman for council umbrella group Cosla said ‘local government is committed to stepping up to the challenge’ posed by the problem of littering.

Last night, Scottish Tory environment spokesman Maurice Golden said: ‘These figures show that the SNP is totally failing to fine litter droppers, which means there is no deterrence or punishment.’

Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: ‘We will set out the next steps for delivering our deposit return scheme shortly.’