Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Dr Soroush Abolfathi comments on the Scottish Government's ban on plastic-stemmed cotton buds

Dr Soroush Abolfathi from the Warwick Water Research Group comments on the decision of the Scottish Government to ban plastic-stemmed cotton buds:-

"I think the new rule from Scottish government to ban plastic cotton buds is a very positive move towards reducing plastic waste, and the rest of the UK should follow this.

"However, we need more ambitious actions to tackle the plastic pollution problem which is probably one of the biggest environmental challenges of the 21st century. I think we need to make the producers of plastic and specially single-use plastics more responsible for recycling their product.

"The current estimate is that only about 9% of global plastic production (>322 million tons) is recycled and 79% is disposed in landfills or end up in oceans. If you think about this figure, then you realise that we should do much more to tackle the plastic waste problem."

15 October 2019

CONTACT

Sheila Kiggins

Media Relations Manager

s.kiggins@warwick.ac.uk

02476 150423

07876 218166