A call for more ambitious action to tackle the plastic littering the ocean has come from Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael.
The UK Government has committed £61 million to fighting the rising tide of plastic pollution in the world’s oceans.
But Mr Carmichael led a Westminster debate demanding ministers set more ambitious targets and challenge the UK’s throwaway culture, suggesting a deposit return scheme and a disposable coffee cup tax, or latte levy, as first steps.
He said: “The Government has started to take action on plastic waste, which is encouraging, but they must be much more ambitious if they are to reverse the tide of plastic flowing into our oceans.
“A deposit return scheme is essential and I will be making the case for a comprehensive plan which ranges from changing consumer behaviour, to what we do with the plastic once it has been returned.
“It will also include some other ideas which need further development, like the “Latte Levy”.
“These are big challenges and they require big, international solutions, so I will be listening out for what steps the Minister is taking to work with other nations to deliver the changes we need.
“We need to find a way of changing our relationship with plastic and challenging our throw-away culture.”