Tackle litter and fly-tipping: 11 things you can do right now
Scotland has a litter problem.
A big one that costs us at least £78 million every year. That’s what we spend cleaning up — and dealing with the indirect costs, such as the harm it does to our environment — the 15,000 tonnes of litter and 26,000 tonnes of flytipped waste dropped in Scotland every year.
With figures like that stacked against us, can we, as individuals really make a difference?
Yes - we can.
Remember it’s not just about litter – it’s about working towards a zero-waste society. Here are eleven things we can all do today to start moving things in the right direction.

If you’re not already part of a local litter prevention group, now’s the time to get involved. While you can take action against litter on your own, you’re much more likely to be effective as part of a team.
Not sure if there’s a group near you? Check online to see what’s out there - litteraction.org.uk is a good place to start.
If your search comes up short, consider setting up a group of your own. Chances are you’ll find lots of likeminded locals keen to help you reclaim your area’s streets and green spaces from the litterers.

Good news - you can do your bit for litter prevention and still enjoy your morning latte. Just get into the habit of taking a reusable cup when you head out. Then you can grab a guilt-free caffeine fix – avoiding those one-use paper cups that all-too-easily blow out of bins and make our streets look a mess.
Bringing your own cup will also earn you money-off at some of the big high street coffee shops.
Win-win.