Roadside litter and plastic pollution are in the spotlight this month as residents and drivers in Argyll and Bute are being encouraged to help keep the area clean and tidy.

The council is supporting Environmental group Keep Scotland Beautiful’s week of action on roadside litter from May 12 to May 20, as well as Keep Britain Tidy’s Great Plastic Pick Up from May 11 to May 13.The Keep Scotland Beautiful roadside litter campaign urges drivers to “give your litter a lift” and “take it home.” The charity says that 50 tons of litter is collected from Scottish roadsides every month and their week of action calls for everyone to make a special effort to raise awareness of roadside litter and help make a long-term impact on the cleanliness of our roads.

And with their Great Plastic Pickup, Keep Britain Tidy hopes to get as many people as possible to spare a few hours to clear rubbish from streets, beaches and beauty spots over the weekend of May 11 to 13. People participating in the Great Plastic Pick Up are invited to bring their collected litter to any Argyll and Bute Council recycling centre, where it will be safely and properly processed to be re-used.

Councillor Roddy McCuish, Policy Lead for Roads and Amenity Services, said: “We are very fortunate to have such wonderful natural beauty across Argyll and Bute and we want to make sure we are all playing our part in keeping it that way. The statistics on the amount of litter that is thrown from vehicles are quite staggering and I fully support Keep Scotland Beautiful’s efforts to change the way people think about that kind of behaviour.

“The impact of plastic being thrown away recklessly has been in the news a lot recently and in Argyll and Bute we don’t use plastic straws, with the exception of those which come supplied on drink cartons. We are in talks with our suppliers with the aim of finding alternatives. We can all make a difference and I’d encourage residents to find out how they can do their part by visiting www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/recycling

“We appreciate the efforts of everyone who plans to take part in these campaigns, and also the wider efforts of our residents who do their part to keep Argyll and Bute beautiful.”

Bags are available at Council service points for anyone looking to take part in a litter pick.

Details on how to get involved in the Keep Scotland Beautiful campaign can be found online at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org and tips on how to take part in the Great Plastic Pick Up are available at www.greatplasticpickup.org