The Scottish government will implement a new regulation to ban most single-use plastic products from June 1, 2022.
The new regulations presented to the Scottish Parliament will ban the following items: plastic cutlery (forks, knives, spoons, chopsticks); plates; straws; drink stirrers; balloon sticks; food containers and cups made from expanded polystyrene, including lids and caps, unless a special exemption applies.
The ban was introduced following a 12-week public consultation period that ended in January 2021, with a draft of the regulations published in March 2021. While the regulations make it illegal to supply the listed items in a commercial manner, there are specific circumstances under which single-use plastic straws and balloon sticks are exempt.
Exemptions
In terms of exemptions for plastic straws, they apply to people who need them for independent eating and drinking or for specific medical purposes. This means that single-use plastic straws can still be purchased in pharmacies and are also available on demand in hospitality venues, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, early learning settings and prisons. They will also be provided as medical devices or by anyone providing personal care or support.
As for the balloon stick exemption, the exception applies to industrial and professional use and the items cannot be distributed to individual consumers.
Transition to a ban on single-use plastics
The Scottish Government is encouraging businesses affected by these changes to consider managing inventory levels of prohibited items to avoid waste. Companies are turning to alternatives, especially reusable alternatives, to run out of single-use plastic stockpiles by the time regulations take effect - they are shifting from just moving to other disposables, however, because these also have their own environmental impacts.
The Scottish government says there is a high level of public support for the transition to reusable alternatives. In a recent survey, 77 percent of Scots are concerned about the amount of single-use plastic and disposable packaging used across the country.
In anticipation of the transition, the Scottish Government has launched a consultation on charging for single-use items. The parliamentary body intends to set up a working group aimed at supporting a charge on single-use beverage containers to initiate this change. The Scottish Government will also consider ways to reduce the consumption of mobile food containers through engagement with a variety of stakeholders.
A nationwide approach to developing an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for packaging, led by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), will also facilitate the transition. The initiative, which will be consulted on earlier in 2021, will reinforce the Scottish Government's commitment to improve "the collection, recycling and recyclability of these plastics and other packaging not covered by the single-use plastics market restrictions". We are turning commitment into action and banning some of the most problematic single-use plastics in Scotland," commented Lorna Slater, Minister for the Circular Economy. Every year, hundreds of millions of single-use plastics are wasted in this country. They create litter on our shores, pollute our oceans and cause a climate emergency. This must end, and this ban will be another step forward in the fight against plastic waste and disposable culture. This bold action is another example of what is needed if we are to deliver on the promises made at COP26."
"It is critical that the legislation includes an exemption for single-use plastic straws to ensure that those who need them for independent living or medical purposes can still use them. However, the ban is affected by the UK Internal Market Act, which effectively exempts any goods manufactured or imported in other parts of the UK. I will be writing to the UK government to ask them to take the necessary steps to ensure the integrity of this ban."
