'Disposable' items are everywhere these days, from take-aways to online shopping. The true cost of producing these items is starting to add up - extracting raw materials, manufacturing, storing and transporting them - just for them to end up as landfill or litter.
By switching to reusable alternatives where possible, and making sure that we recycle what's left, we can continue to enjoy the things we love, whilst reducing the harm to our environment and communities that depend on it.
50%
of all plastic produced is intended for just one use.
36%
of that is packaging.
91%
of packaging waste currently ends up as landfill or litter.
What we're doing
We're working with businesses and communities around the Highlands to trial and promote alternatives to single-use packaging and other items.
More resources
The UK Plastics Pact
"The UK Plastics Pact brings together businesses from across the entire plastics value chain with UK governments and NGOs to tackle the scourge of plastic waste...Pact members will eliminate problematic plastics reducing the total amount of packaging on supermarket shelves, stimulate innovation and new business models and help build a stronger recycling system in the UK. Together we will ensure that plastic packaging is designed so it can be easily recycled and made into new products..."
Extended Producer Responsibility
"Extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes are a common tool to ensure that producers' responsibility for their products is extended to the post-use phase...The Scottish Government is working jointly with the UK, Welsh and Northern Irish governments to reform the packaging producer responsibility system, creating genuine Extended Producer Responsibility."
Food-To-Go Report (2020)
"The food-to-go sector, which includes businesses like cafes, fast food outlets and coffee chains is a massive source of plastic pollution. At the turn of the millennium there were only 5,000 coffee shops in the UK. There are now almost 26,000 outlets...This has resulted in a tidal wave of throwaway packaging. Packaging from takeaway food and drinks such as disposable coffee cups and takeaway containers are littering our streets, parks, rivers and beaches. They are now consistently in the top 10 items found on beaches in the UK and Europe."
