Scottish Environment Secretary says she would like to see more single-use plastics banned as a means of tackling marine pollution

Scotland is set to become the first UK nation to ban plastic straws, as part of plans to cut down on single-use plastics.

The move follows the announcement that the Scottish Government is outlawing the sale and manufacture of plastic cotton buds, one of the most prevalent waste items found on beaches.

Parts of Britain, including the remote Shetland Islands, have also set out their own plans to cut down on single-use plastics in an effort to combat pollution.

There has been growing concern among the public about the impact of plastic waste on marine life, particularly after the issue was highlighted by BBC series Blue Planet II. 

The Independent has launched its Cut the Cup Waste campaign to address the problem of unrecyclable, plastic-lined coffee cups.

Businesses like Wetherspoon and Wagamama have already ended the use of plastic straws, as has Buckingham Palace after expressing a “strong desire to tackle the issue” of plastic pollution.

The use of plastic straws was banned in the Scottish Parliament earlier this month, and Scottish Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham told the Sunday Mail the ban is set to be extended to the rest of the country.

She said she wanted to see cotton buds phased out by the end of this year, and a ban on plastic straws entering into law by the end of 2019.

“I would strongly encourage the big manufacturers of straws that the writing is on the wall and they need to be thinking about alternatives now,” she said.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: “We are committed to ending Scotland’s throwaway culture and are considering how we can reduce single-use items like plastic straws.