In the face of growing plastic pollution, meet Scotland’s eco-companies

IT’S in our clothes; it’s wrapped around our food; it coats our phones, laptops, TVs; makes up 90% of children’s toys; and the majority of it ends up in our oceans. 

Last week, the Sunday Post spoke to the Ayrshire Coastal Path about their beach cleaning efforts, discovering that over 25 tonnes of plastic pollution had been collected from wild beaches along the south coast of Scotland.

WATCH: Scotland’s wild beaches ‘knee deep’ in plastic and rubbish

Single use plastics pose one of the most significant risks to our planet, taking 450 years to break down and putting enormous toll on our wildlife and ecosystems.

In Scotland alone, 64,000 tonnes of plastic food packaging and bottles are binned every year, and globally, over eight million tonnes of plastic entered our oceans last year.

But in the face of this growing crisis, there are inspiring individuals and companies doing all they can to change our bad habits and make a lasting change to how we use, or don’t use plastic.

Here, the Sunday Post showcases some of Scotland’s champions of the anti-plastic movement, each providing alternatives and inspiration to those wanting to cut down on the man-made substance that’s destroying our planet.

Glasgow

The Green Place, 1249 Dumbarton Road

It’s not just plastic that’s harming our oceans and landfill. Everyday items like paint are just as toxic and dangerous. After experiencing some difficulty sourcing environmentally responsible non-toxic paints in Glasgow and being appalled by the volume of unused paint that goes to landfill (each tonne of mainstream paint results in approximately 10 – 30 tonnes of toxic waste and approximately 55 million litres of waste paint goes to landfill in the UK each year), The Green Place was set up with the aim of making ecological and reprocessed paints more readily available.

As well as buying environmentally free paint, there’s lots more you can pick up at the shop – Keepcups and Mooncups (an alternative to sanitary towels and tampons), everyday biodegradable items such as caddy liners, toothbrushes and dog waste bags as well as recycled cloths, toilet tissue and kitchen rolls in compostable packaging. They also stock environmentally friendly shampoos, soaps and cleaning products.

Edinburgh

The New Leaf Co-op, 23 Argyle Place

The New Leaf Co-Op describes itself as “Edinburgh’s local, unpackaged, scoop your own, nut-grinding, organic, worker-run box of delights.”

Avoiding the use of plastic packaging, it has a superb range of loose foods, including pasta and baking products like chocolate chips, and refills of oils, vinegars and detergent refills, including liquid soap. You can even bring a jar and grind your own nut spread.

Fort William 

The Emporium of Worldly Goods, 68 High Street

This all rounder of a shop offers a selection of zero waste toiletries, including shampoo and conditioner refills, sanitary products, eco-toothbrushes, and packaging-free soaps. They also stock refillable, eco-friendly, cruelty-free makeup.

The Emporium of Worldly Goods also do recycled fair trade crafts, a free book exchange and will soon stock a small selection of loose dried fruits and nuts. You can bring your own receptacles or purchase reusable bags/bottles at the shop, which are made from recycled materials.

Fife 

Heart Space Wholefoods,  29 Exchange Street, Dundee / 201 South Street, St Andrews

With shops in Dundee and St Andrews, Heart Space Wholefoods strives to minimise waste, selling unpackaged fruits and vegetables to enable customers to choose their own quantities, minimising the potential for food and plastic rubbish.

They also sell package free bread and all beverages are sold in recyclable containers. They also have a juice bar and smoothie cups, soup cups, lids, and cutlery are vegware – made from plastic-free, biodegradable, and compostable material.