Local MSP backs campaign to tackle Scotland’s roadside litter shame
Alexander Burnett MSP has given his backing to environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful and the national campaign to clean up Scotland’s roadsides. With 88% of Scottish adults agreeing that roadside litter creates a negative impression of Scotland, the campaign aims to tackle the behaviour which is ruining the view for visitors and domestic road users alike. Photograph attached showing Alexander Burnett MSP with campaign mascots.
Recent litter monitoring by the charity has revealed that over 96% of Scotland’s main roads and iconic routes are affected by litter. In addition, during 2016, 52% of Scottish adults have seen someone throw litter from a vehicle and not pick it up. The campaign is urging road users to take personal responsibility for their litter, encouraging them to give their litter a lift, and take it home.
Alexander Burnett MSP, said:
"This is a fantastic campaign that everyone across Scotland can easily be a part of. Our countryside is something we need to take care of and one of the first, easy steps we can make is by keeping it clean and taking our litter home."
Derek Robertson, Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said:
“As a direct response to our country’s roadside litter problem, we have launched this campaign with a wide range of stakeholders including industry, the public sector and charities, and we are very grateful for Alexander’s support. We recognise that to tackle this disgusting and illegal habit, we all need to work in partnership, to raise awareness of the problem of throwing litter from a vehicle, and to trial innovative solutions to change current littering behaviours.
“The message is simple - give your litter a lift, take it home!”
Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland, said:
“VisitScotland aims to make Scotland a sustainable destination through promoting environmental accreditation and practices to all tourism businesses. We welcome the launch of Keep Scotland Beautiful’s new campaign to cut down the amount of litter on our roadsides and to help ensure that this country remains a hugely attractive destination to visitors from all over the world.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
- Keep Scotland Beautiful is the charity that campaigns, acts and educates on a range of local, national and global environmental issues to change behaviour and improve the quality of people’s lives and the places they care for. We are committed to making Scotland clean, green and more sustainable.
- *Research. All survey figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1,000 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 20 - 25 July 2016. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all Scottish adults (aged 18+).