New rules ban many single-use plastics in Scotland

New legislation has come into effect in Scotland that prevents businesses from providing single-use plastic items such as cutlery, plates, straws, cups, polystyrene food containers, and stir sticks.

The legislation, which came into effect on June 1, was passed by the Scottish Parliament during the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference last year. There was a six-month grace period between the passing of the legislation and the rules taking effect.

The Scottish government said it was the first part of the UK to ban many what it calls “problematic” single-use plastics. The government estimates that about 700 million of these single-use items are currently used in Scotland every year.

Enforcement will be the responsibility of local authorities and failure to comply with the regulations carries a fine.

The legislation includes exemptions for single-use plastic straws, for those who need them for independent living or medical purposes.

Currently, the regulations will only apply to products manufactured in or imported directly into Scotland from outside the UK.