THERE has been a nearly 10 per cent reduction in “on the go” food and drink litter in the Forth Valley, thanks to an innovative behaviour-change project.

Delivered by environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful, the Forth Valley Litter Intervention project led to a reduction of littered items such as bottles, cans, single-use cups and food packaging, according to the good cause.

The scheme saw Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling councils work together with the charity and Forth Valley College, funded in part by Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP).

In addition to the reduction in littered items such as bottles and cans, there was a 32.6 per cent decrease in other general litter types.

The project was developed as part of Keep Scotland Beautiful's actions to support the National Litter and Flytipping Strategy (NLFS) Year 1 Action Plan with the aim of raising awareness and tackling litter related to food and drink consumption on the go.

In a bid to measure the project's impact, surveys were conducted to assess the amount and type of litter around the college's three sites while perception surveys were conducted among students and staff.

Paul Wallace, campaigns and social innovation manager at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “The Forth Valley Litter Intervention was a brilliant success, having a positive impact on food and drink on the go related litter in Stirling, Clackmannanshire and Falkirk.

“Furthermore, the findings will be invaluable for us to deliver further projects like this.

“We keep saying the litter emergency didn’t happen overnight and it won’t be fixed overnight, but it’s true.

“There is still a problem, and we want to continue working in partnership with organisations, communities and businesses to target and address these behaviours.

“I’d like to thank Forth Valley College, Stirling, Clackmannanshire and Falkirk councils and CCEP for their support throughout this project.”

An ambitious approach to advertising was also utilised as part of the intervention, including digital advertising which helped raise awareness of issues relating to food and drink on the go litter and encouraged people to bin their litter.

A billboard was also unveiled on Stirling's Cowane Street (pictured) to reinforce the messaging while bin visibility and so-called “binfrastructure” was increased across the three local authorities.

Màiri McAllan – cabinet secretary for wellbeing economy, net zero and energy – welcomed the initiative for helping to tackle some of the root causes of waste and litter on the streets.

She added: “We are in a climate emergency and we must all do more to reduce emissions and waste.

“That’s why the Scottish Government’s Circular Economy Bill seeks to establish the legislative framework to support the country’s transition to a zero waste and circular economy, significantly increase reuse and recycling rates and modernise and improve waste and recycling services across all of Scotland.”