NEW legislation has come into force today (June 1) making Scotland the first UK nation to ban many of the ‘most problematic’ single-use plastics.
The ban means it will be an offence for businesses in the country to provide the items, with failure to comply carrying a maximum fine of £5,000.
It applies to the following single-use items: plastic cutlery, plates, straws, beverage stirrers, balloon sticks, and food containers and cups made from expanded polystyrene.
The regulations come into force following a six-month grace period, during which Zero Waste Scotland ran a business campaign to raise awareness on how to prepare.
The legislation, which was passed by the Scottish Parliament during COP26 last year, includes exemptions for single-use plastic straws, to make sure that those who need them for independent living or medical purposes can still access them.
Circular economy minister, Lorna Slater, said, “By banning some of the most problematic single-use plastic items in Scotland, we are turning our promises into action. Every year, hundreds of millions of single-use plastic are wasted, with many of them littering our beaches, waters and parks. This ban will encourage businesses to make the switch to reusable alternatives, helping to reduce litter and cut emissions.
“Protecting Scotland’s environment is a devolved matter and key decisions like this one should be ours to make. It was wholly unacceptable that it could have been effectively vetoed by the UK Government under their UK Internal Market Act, which it imposed on the rest of the UK despite no devolved legislature giving consent to it.
“The Scottish Government pressed repeatedly for, and finally secured, an exclusion from the Act for our ban. While we are frustrated that the exclusion will not be in force by 1 June, it will follow soon after, meaning this important ban will be fully effective across Scotland. Regardless of the delay in the exclusion, we’d encourage everyone to ditch these harmful items now.”
