Enviromental group applauds rise in charge for single-use carrier bags

An increase in the charge for single-use carrier bags has come into force in a move welcomed by a leading environmental group.

The cost has risen from 5p per bag to 10p after the initiative was backed by MSPS earlier this year.

According to Friends of the Earth Scotland, in the first year after the charge was introduced in October 2014, there was a 80 per cent reduction in the number of plastic bags given out, preventing the use of 650 million bags.

Sarah Moyes, the organisation's plastic and circular economy campaigner, said: "Plastic bags are a vivid symbol of our throwaway culture and this small change will help to further reduce the number of plastic bags which end up littering our streets, burning in incinerators or sitting in landfill for hundreds of years.

"The huge success of the charge so far in cutting plastic waste shows the importance of targeted Government action in protecting the environment.

"The plastic industry opposed these moves but time has once again shown them to have been in the wrong.

"The Scottish Government recently published its draft regulations on banning singleuse plastic and oxo-degradable plastic products, eg plastic straws, cutlery and drink stirrers.

"However, the launch date for the Deposit Return Scheme for drinks bottles and cans has been delayed again until July 2022. This is despite the Deposit Return Scheme being announced in the 2017 Programme for Government.”