Question reference: S5W-01779
- Date lodged: 2 August 2016
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Current status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 23 August 2016
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact the National Litter Strategy has had on reducing littering in (a) North Lanarkshire and (b) Scotland.
Answer
Our litter strategy is a five year plan that sets out how Scotland can significantly reduce litter and flytipping and support cleaner, safer communities. It is vital that organisations with roles in helping to tackle litter and flytipping play their part.
As a result of the strategy, we have supported community clean ups, boosted communication to highlight that people should dispose of waste responsibly and since 2011 we have funded the installation of over 4,200 Recycling on the Go bins across Scotland. We have also strengthened the deterrent effect of enforcement by raising the litter and flytipping fixed penalties, from £50 to £80 and £200 and introduced a charge on single use carrier bags, a highly visible form of litter.
Over the next year, we will explore new ways to encourage people to properly dispose of and recycle waste and publish revised guidance for our delivery partners that will expand the focus of tackling litter from expensive clean-up operations to support for more preventative measures. These actions will continue to support reducing littering behaviour in North Lanarkshire and throughout Scotland.