ENVIRONMENTAL campaigners warned yesterday that the Scottish government’s waste reduction plans have a “huge plastic hole” in them.

Scottish ministers put their draft circular economy strategy, aimed at cutting waste and combatting climate change by reducing use of disposable items and encouraging reuse, out for consultation in October.

But Friends of the Earth has hit out at the strategy’s failure to address plastics with measures such as enforcing current bans on single-use plastics and making firms responsible for cleaning up the plastic products they create.

The climate campaign group’s senior circular economy campaigner Kim Pratt said: “This is peak season for our homes being swamped in excessive plastic and things don’t look like changing any time soon.

“There is a huge plastic hole in the Scottish government’s plans to cut waste and reduce use of natural resources.

“The best solution to the plastics crisis is to reduce how much plastic is made and used. Instead of loading individuals with the responsibility for tackling this mess, big businesses must be made to pay for the clean-up of their harmful products.

“Political failure to address plastics means people in Scotland will suffer from the health impacts of microplastic pollution.

“Plastics are made from fossil fuels, so are worsening climate breakdown too. The plastics sector is responsible for a tidal wave of nurdle pollution around the Firth of Forth so it is grossly negligent for ministers to ignore it.”

A Scottish government spokesman responded: “Scotland was the first part of the UK to implement a ban on some of the most problematic single-use plastic products and we continue to work with our partners to reduce as many sources of plastic pollution as possible.”

The draft circular economy strategy consultation ends on January 13.