20/05/2005 – Environmental
groups in Scotland, including WWF, have voiced
support for a proposed levy on plastic bags
as a means of preventing the unnecessary deaths
of some of the region's most popular marine
wildlife.
The bill, proposed by Edinburgh South Liberal
Democrat MSP Mike Pringle, has introduced
to the Scottish Parliament a plastic bag levy
bill that seeks to place a 10 pence charge
on all plastic carrier bags given out in Scotland.
"Scotland uses 1 billion plastic bags
every year," said MSP Pringle.
"They cause litter on our beaches, they
are a danger to wildlife and they all end
up in a landfill site. By placing a small
charge on each bag the shoppers will only
take those that they need."
Numerous independent scientific studies have
shown high concentrations of plastic material,
particularly plastic bags, blocking the breathing
passages of 177 marine species, including
whales, dolphins, seals, puffins, and turtles.
Some marine species, such as the endangered
leatherback turtle – a frequent summer visitor
to Scottish waters – often mistake plastic
bags for their normal prey of jelly fish,
and with deadly results.
Several years ago a leatherback turtle was
found dead on Scottish shores with 57kg of
plastic bags obstructing its innards. More
recently a rare cuviers beaked whale washed
up dead, blocked by compacted bags. And, a
minke whale was also found with 800kg of plastic
bags, including UK supermarket bags, in its
stomach. The list goes on.
“Plastic bags are a real and tragic threat
to marine life and it’s deeply disturbing
to think of the suffering these wild animals
face," said Claire Pescod, a Marine Policy
Officer WWF Scotland.
"By reducing the amount of plastic bags
that we use and discard in Scotland we can
make a real difference in protecting vulnerable
marine animals, many of which already face
enormous pressures from pollution, shipping,
and fishing.”
Many marine species are also affected by
the minute toxic particles that plastic items,
including bags, are reduced to by photodegradation,
leading to a weakening of their immune system.
“Last year a total of 5,592 plastic bags
were recorded during a beach, about 2 per
cent of all beach litter or one for every
38m of beach surveyed," said Calum Duncan,
with the Scottish Marine Conservation Society
and convener of the Scottish Environment LINK
Marine Task Force which is supporting a proposed
bill to levy plastic bags.
"The bill will certainly reduce the
number of windblown plastic bags and play
an important role in reducing the impact of
discarded litter on Scotland’s marine wildlife
and habitats.”
It is hoped that the bill will be considered
by the Parliament in the autumn, and if successful,
could enter into force in late 2006 or early
2007.
END NOTES:
• Since the Scottish Executive controls most
activities within 12 nautical miles of the
Scottish shore, including inshore fisheries,
aquaculture, coastal management, renewable
energy, conservation, pollution, dumping and
dredging, marine works and research, Scottish
Environment LINK’s Marine Task Force is calling
for a Marine Act to manage Scottish inshore
waters in such a way as to ensure they are
healthy and productive in perpetuity by delivering:
effective marine spatial planning, and adequate
protection for marine species and habitats
of national and international importance,
encompassing a network of well-managed marine
areas protected by law.
• The Scottish Environment LINK is the network
of 36 voluntary sector environment organizations
in Scotland. The members of the LINK Marine
Task Force include the Hebridean Whale and
Dolphin Trust, Marine Conservation Society,
National Trust for Scotland, RSPB Scotland,
Scottish Wildlife Trust, Whale and Dolphin
Conservation Society and WWF Scotland.
