Countryside charity seeking volunteers in Fife - 'have you got the bottle!'

The Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland (APRS) have been campaigning since 2014 for a deposit return scheme for drinks containers. This helps reduce the huge amount of waste produced by drinks manufacturers which often finds its way into our watercourses and littering our towns and countryside as seen across Fife.

Deposits are due to be introduced in August 2023 and APRS is now calling for regular litter pickers to start logging their waste. This project aims to determine the impact of Scotland’s deposit return system on litter rates.

Jo McFarlane, Public Engagement and Education Manager at APRS, said: “This is a great project to get involved in if you are looking for something to get you outdoors and making a difference in the New Year, and especially if you care about reducing litter in our towns and countryside.

Beachwatch Surveys run by the Marine Conservation Society showed that 93% of beach cleans found drinks related litter. We at APRS believe deposit return will have a dramatic effect on the number of drinks containers abandoned in streets and countryside too.

"Countries that have already introduced deposits, like Norway, Estonia and Croatia have seen a dramatic decrease in bottles and cans littered and a huge increase in recycling rates, so we are calling on people to get involved, log what they find, and help show the impact Scotland’s system will have.”

David Spence from the Fife Street Champions, who helps coordinate litter picking volunteers from a Facebook group of more than 3,000 members said: “It's not until you get involved in litter picking either professionally, or as a volunteer, that you really understand the size of the problem. Having corresponded with litter picking groups all over the UK, I can honestly say that there is hardly a council in the country that can cope.

You can find out more at www.aprs.scot or contact Joanna directly on [email protected].