Litter solution

Last week I canvassed a gentlemen who lives beside the Erskine Bridge. He had become so frustrated by the litter-strewn slip road verges he had taken it upon himself to start clearing them. For his efforts he was threatened with prosecution.

Too many Scots are middens and dismissive of stop litter campaigns. Our councils struggle to cope and our reputation is undermined. Just as our love affair with alcohol needs to be challenged so does our acceptance of litter.

Every container and bottle must come with a compulsory refundable deposit of, say, 50p. By giving them a value consumers will want the refund, and even if louts who discard them don't miss the money there will be plenty of people who will pick them up to obtain the deposit. With such a scheme we'd reduce our carbon footprint, eradicate litter, cut council tax, reduce our consumption of food and drink, and remove the forest of bins outside our houses. Is this not the fairer, greener, healthier and wealthier Scotland we want?

GRAEME McCORMICK

SNP candidate for West Dunbartonshire, Arden