Single-use packaging generated from on-the-go food and drink is being tackled through a collaboration between environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful, Forth Valley College, local authorities in Stirling, Clackmannanshire and Falkirk, and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners.
Students and employees from Forth Valley College, which has its main campuses in Alloa, Falkirk and Stirling, have been asked to consider how they can help reduce the on-the-go food and drink litter, which accounts for 63% of all litter counted across the three sites.
To reduce on-the-go food and drink litter and improve recycling, street bins near the three campuses have been wrapped with engaging messaging, a billboard and targeted digital online advertising will be deployed, and increased recycling provision will be introduced on-campus during a seven-week campaign targeting Forth Valley College students and staff and the wider community until the end of March.
Students and staff were asked for their views earlier this year and 78% confirmed they enjoy at least one item of on-the-go food or drink each week. However, 75% indicated the damage that on-the-go food and drink litter could do to the environment and nature was of concern to them, and 85% were concerned about the amount of littered packaging there was from on-the-go food and drink.
Barry Fisher, Chief Executive at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “A quarter of litter recorded in our national surveys comes from food and drink packaging and the Scottish Litter Survey found 90% of people agree that litter is a problem across our country.
“So, it is vital that we encourage everyone to consider what they do with their packaging. Only by working in collaboration with national and local government, businesses and communities will we be able to test campaign messages and evaluate their success.
“Ultimately, we want to see people recycling where possible, but at the very least we need everyone to bin their waste and not to drop or chuck it – further deepening Scotland’s litter emergency.”
Jo Padwick, Senior Sustainability Manager at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners GB, added: “As a brand well-loved in Scotland, we recognise the responsibility we have in ensuring as much of our packaging is recovered and recycled as possible.
“We’re striving towards a World Without Waste, and we’ve set ourselves a goal to collect and recycle a bottle or can for everyone we sell by 2030. Collaborating with businesses and government organisations is one important way we can continue to drive our sustainability goals forward and look to create a more circular economy.”
The campaign to inspire behaviour change to reduce litter and increase recycling is being delivered by Keep Scotland Beautiful, a key delivery partner of the National Litter and Flytipping Strategy and Action Plan, and is part funded by Coca-Cola Europacific Partners.
