Ilona Amos: Litter is Scotland's £1 million per week problem

Scotland has been basking in tropical heat over the past few days. This was the signal for me '“ along with three quarters of the population '“ to pack a larderful of food and drink, 19 changes of clothes, swimwear, suncream, rain gear, beach toys, blanket and towels into a giant bag and heft the whole lot, plus a horde of kids, off to the seaside.

Sticky problem: Chewing gum is the most common item littering Scotland's streets - each piece costs councils 50 times more to remove from a pavement than its puchase price.

In town, our local park was thronging with people out enjoying the sunshine, having impromptu picnics and sausage sizzles, playing games and throwing frisbees. It was ‘taps aff’ and bare legs as far as the eye could see.

Unfortunately the delightful weather has a drawback. There is an upsurge in the amount of rubbish being abandoned in streets, on beaches and in the countryside. I’ve seen everything from disposable barbecues to empty beer cans and even neatly bagged parcels of dog waste hanging from trees. Sometimes it’s just a case of too much rubbish for the bins provided, but in other cases it’s wanton littering.

According to the Marine Conservation Society the problem of rubbish on beaches is worse than ever – with an average of nearly 2,000 items per kilometre.

Litter has been shown to have an adverse impact on tourism and house prices. Even worse, it attracts more litter, with people more likely to drop waste where other trash is already strewn about.

Apparently chewing gum is the most commonly found item of waste in our streets, followed by cigarette butts. Next comes drinks containers and food packaging.

Not only is it an eyesore, littering is bad for the environment and costly to society. Scotland spends around £1 million a week on the problem, picking up 15,000 tonnes of dumped items every year.

There’s plenty that can be done to cut that figure, from simple changes in behaviour by members of the public to state-backed initiatives.

Zero Waste Scotland today launches a new online resource to help tackle the issue. The Litter Knowledge Network brings together for the first time a range of expertise, advice and support on preventing littering and fly-tipping. It includes the latest statistics on the scale of the problem, as well as case studies providing practical solutions backed up by evidence. The launch of the network builds on work rolled out over the last three years, including higher penalties for littering and the introduction of the 5p charge on carrier bags.

Apparently a huge amount of rubbish lying on our streets could be recycled, generating money and jobs – worth a potential £1.2 million.

The Scottish Parliament’s environment committee is currently considering the pros and cons of a ‘cash for trash’ deposit-return system for plastic bottles as part of a wider investigation into waste. Environmentalists are urging ministers to introduce such a scheme, claiming it would increase recycling rates, help combat climate change, cut costs for councils and boost employment.

It goes without saying that we should all dispose of our trash responsibly. But we can also cut the amount we generate in the first place – carrying a reusable coffee cup, for instance, would reduce the 2.5 billion dished out across the UK every day. Smokers can use a portable ashtray. And it’s not okay to drop fruit and veg peel, even though it’s biodegradable. Banana skins can persist for up to two years.

It’s important to remember that even small changes can make a big impact on all our lives.