New Bill aims to tackle Scotland’s ‘throwaway culture’

New legislation to tackle Scotland’s “throwaway culture” will allow for charges to be brought in for disposable cups and also create a penalty regime for littering from vehicles.

The Scottish Government has published the Circular Economy Bill, which if passed by Holyrood will give ministers the power to set local recycling targets.

The legislation will also seek to prevent companies from simply dumping unsold goods and will allow for charges to placed on single-use items – such as disposable coffee cups – in a bid to encourage more people to move to reusable alternatives.

In addition, a new civil penalty regime is proposed that will make car and van owners liable to pay a financial penalty for littering from their vehicle.

Speaking about the legislation, which has to be passed by Holyrood, circular economy minister Lorna Slater said she wanted Scots to benefit from a “modern, easy-to-use waste service that makes it easy for people to do the right thing for the planet”.

Ms Slater said: “The Circular Economy Bill will give local councils and the Scottish Government the powers they need to transform our economy and tackle throwaway culture.”

The Green MSP added: “Of course, the best way of tackling waste is to not create it in the first place.

“There are huge economic opportunities in the circular economy and we have already seen businesses in Scotland creating jobs by turning what we might otherwise throw away into valuable new products and services.

“This legislation will support the growth of more green businesses and community organisations while cutting waste and climate emissions.”

Scottish Green environment spokesperson Mark Ruskell welcomed the proposals, saying: “Scotland’s throwaway culture has grown in recent decades, it’s time to take on the dumpers and polluters.”

He added: “Most people will be sick of watching drivers and passengers throwing rubbish out of cars and it’s a common sight to see a load of building materials or furniture dumped by the roadside.

“It’s lazy, anti-social behaviour and there needs to be a crackdown.”

He said the Bill would also ensure that unsold goods “can’t simply be destroyed because retailers want to stock something else”.

Mr Ruskell said: “We are on a long journey to creating a greener, more environmentally sound future for Scotland and this is a positive step forward.”