Hume marks environment day by campaigning against excess packaging

2.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 4th Jun 2008

Liberal Democrat Environment spokesperson Jim Hume MSP is marking World Environment Day by urging action to tackle excess packaging. Mr Hume has lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament, which will be debated next week, calling on the Scottish Government to use the devolved powers available to them to improve recycling and waste minimisation rates.

Mr Hume said, "I am marking World Environment Day by campaigning for action to tackle excess packaging.

"Much of the legislation governing excess packaging is reserved to Westminster where Scottish Liberal Democrat MP Jo Swinson is leading the fight to change the law on packaging. But this doesn't mean that the Scottish Government can wash its hands of this issue. My motion, calling on the Scottish Government to use devolved powers to tackle this issue has attracted cross party support and it will be debated by MSPs next week.

The MSP continued, "I want to see tackling excess packaging as the central objective for the Scottish Government's Supermarket Summit. This should be backed up by Ministers working with product designers and manufacturers to encourage them to use sustainable designs and materials. The Scottish Government could also develop improved packaging guidelines and should make it easier for consumers to complain if they feel the packaging around products is unnecessary."