(L-R): Rabbie’s driver Bruce Cowie with Zero Waste Scotland’s Frazer Scott outside Stirling Castle.

Zero Waste Scotland, a waste reduction programme managed by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) on behalf of the Scottish Government, has announced that it will be extending the annual Litter Day of Action to a week.

Organised by Zero Waste Scotland on behalf of the Transport Litter Group, the Litter Week of Action (19-25 August) aims to clean up, and promote awareness of, the amount of litter built up around the country’s transport systems.

The day has been extended to a week following a litter audit that revealed an average of seven bottles and cans can be found on every 100 metres of Scotland’s roads, creating a hazard to road users and wildlife, and costing ‘millions’ of pounds to remove.

Commuters, employers, and transport providers and support agencies are all being encouraged to get involved in week by becoming ‘supporters’ and raising awareness of the negative impact and cost of transport litter.

Suggested supporter actions include displaying posters in the workplace, organising a day of awareness through targeted activities, updating Facebook cover images and computer screen savers, and taking out press adverts.

As such, Zero Waste Scotland will release a range of templates and materials to registered supporters to help deliver these messages.

Organisations that have already committed to taking part in the week include Edinburgh-based Rabbie’s Trail Burners (which will provide its tour drivers with rubbish bags and gloves to carry out litter picks), Transport Scotland, McDonald’s, BEAR Scotland, Scotland TranServ, and various local authorities.

Speaking of the campaign, Scotland’s Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said:“It is shocking that on average there are four plastic bottles and three drinks cans littered on every 100 metres of our major roads in Scotland. It’s a blight, contributes to punctures and can cause accidents not to mention the fact that clearing it from our road and rail sides is a hazardous task.

“This Litter Week of Action is a great opportunity to highlight this issue and I’d encourage people to work together by taking action during the week so that we can show that littering is not tolerated here.”

Frazer Scott, Head of Litter Prevention, Zero Waste Scotland added: “Litter on the road and on the transport network doesn’t just look bad, it’s a waste of valuable resources. Items like empty drinks bottles and cans could be recycled and help to boost the economy.

“It’s great to see so many organisations getting behind the Week, and I would urge everyone to get involved and help to spread the message that throwing litter from vehicles or public transport is not acceptable.”

Iain Gulland, Director at Zero Waste Scotland continued:“Litter on the road and in transport hubs doesn’t just look bad, it’s also a waste of valuable resources. Commonly littered items like drinks bottles and cans could be recycled and help to boost the economy.

“I would urge everyone to get involved in this great week of planned activity and help to spread the message that throwing litter from vehicles or public transport is not acceptable.”

Litter Strategy

The week of action follows the launch of a new consultation from the Scottish Government that intends to bring forward a final National Litter Strategy – the first since devolution – early in 2014.

The ‘Towards a Litter Free Scotland’ draft strategy includes:

• measures to improve communications about the litter;
• proposals to increase litter fixed penalty fines from £50 to £80 for litter, and £200 for flytipping, and introducing prompt payment incentives; and
• suggestions to increase recycling opportunities in public places.

The consultation will run until 27 September.

Commenting on the strategy, Lochhead said: “Littering is unacceptable – and in the Year of Natural Scotland and as we approach 2014 when we welcome the world to Scotland, it’s important that we show our country at its best. We have set out action to tackle Scotland’s litter problem in our National Litter Strategy consultation and are asking people to have their say on this during the summer.”

Read more about Scotland’s Litter Week of Action.