Single-use food containers: call for evidence - summary of responses

References and Evidence

An explanatory note on the hyperlinks used for references and evidence is provided in the footnote below*.

* The majority of the hyperlinks listed here are direct copies of the hyperlinks provided within the responses. In a few cases, the links provided did not work at the time of analysis and for some of these an alternative link documenting the same work or publication or organisation webpage is listed instead. In a few cases similar alternative material was not found. Where respondents provided links to organisation webpages, in some cases these webpages have been updated since 2022 when the call for evidence was open, and so the material on the current webpage (and year of publication) reflects this. Where a date of publication is not clear from the link or its content, this has generally been noted as 2023 or 2024, reflecting when it was accessed during the analysis.

1 ENCAMS (2005) Beach and surrounding area user segmentation. [Original link here does not work, relates to material here]

2 Balance, A, Ryan, R.G and Turpie, J.K (2000) How much is a clean beach worth? The impact of litter on beach users in the Cape Peninsula, South Africa. South African Journal of Science. 96(5), 210-213. Link

3 Keep Scotland Beautiful (2021) Local Environmental Audit and Management Systems. Link

4Keep Wales Tidy (2022) How clean are our streets? Link

5 Keep Britain Tidy (2020) Litter Composition Analysis. Link

6Van Loon, W., et al. (2000) A European threshold value and assessment method for macro litter on coastlines. Publications Office of the European Union. Link

7EU Science Hub (2020). EU Member States agree on threshold value to keep Europe’s beaches clean. Link

8 OSPAR (2017) Beach Litter - Abundance, Composition and Trends. Link

9 World Economic Forum, Ellen MacArthur Foundation and McKinsey & Company (2016) The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of plastics. Link

10 Geyer, R., Jambeck, J. and Law, K. Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made. Science Advances 3(7). Link

11 Schyns, Z. and Shaver, M. (2021). Mechanical Recycling of Packaging Plastics: A Review. Macromol. Rapid Commun. 42. Link

12 Marine Scotland (2020) How much plastic enters Scottish seas and where does Ii come from? Link

13 Turrell, W. R. (2020) Estimating a regional budget of marine plastic litter in order to advise on marine management measures. Marine Pollution Bulletin 120. Link

14 Franeker, J. et al. (2011) Monitoring plastic ingestion by the northern fulmar Fulmarus glacialis in the North Sea. Environmental Pollution 159(10), 2609-2615. Link

15 Rochman, C. et al. (2013) Ingested plastic transfers hazardous chemicals to fish and induces hepatic stress. Scientific Reports. 3 (3263). Link

16 León, V.M., et al. (2018) Potential transfer of organic pollutants from littoral plastics debris to the marine environment. Environmental Pollution 236: 442-453. Link

17 Fidra (2023) What are PFAS? Link

18 Dinsmore, K. (2020). Forever chemicals in the food aisle: PFAS content of UK supermarket and takeaway food packaging. Fidra. Link

19 Environment Agency (2019). Overview of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the UK. Link

20 Fidra (2021). Compostable packaging: replacing fossil-based plastics in single-use takeaway food and drink containers. Link

21 Petrie, B. et al. (2019). Assessment of bisphenol-A in the urban water cycle. Science of the Total Environment. 650, 900-907. Link

22 Zhang, Z. et al (2015) A study on temporal trends and estimates of fate of Bisphenol A in agricultural soils after sewage sludge amendment. Science of the Total Environment, 515-516, 1-11. Link

23 Carrington, D. (2022) Microplastics found in human blood for first time. Guardian. Link

24 GAIA (2019) Discarded – Communities on the Frontlines of the Global Plastic Crisis. Link

25 Scottish Youth Parliament (2019) Pack it up, Pack it in. [Original link here does not work ; relates to this page here]

26 Ellipsis (2021) Impact Report: Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, UK. Link

27 Association of Convenience Stores and the Scottish Grocers Federation (2020) The Scottish Local Shop Report 2020. Link

28 Lumina Intelligence (2022) UK Food To Go Market Report 2022. Link

29 Ibis World (2023) Takeaway & Fast-Food Restaurants - Market Size (2011–2029). Link

30 Edie (2021) Just Eat trials reusable takeaway packaging in bid to cut plastics use. Link

31 Shrewsbury Cup (2023). Home page. Link

32 Freiburgcup (2023). Home page. Link

33 Recircle (2023). Home page. Link

34 Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2019) Reuse – Rethinking Packaging. Link

35 Beaches and Marine Litter Project Page (2023). [Facebook Community Group Page] Link

36 Zero Waste Scotland (2023). How Ditching Disposables can have a big impact on reducing single-use waste. Link

37 Grab Trust (2023). Beach and Marine Litter Projects. Link

38 Ecoeats (2023). Home page. Link

39 Keep Scotland Beautiful (2021) Scottish Litter Survey. Link

40 Brandt, B. and Pilz, H. (2011) The impact of plastic packaging on life cycle energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in Europe. Link

41EPPA (2022) Comparative Life Cycle Assessment (Lca) Single-Use And Multiple-Use Tableware Systems For Take-Away Services In Quick Service Restaurants. Link

42 EPPA (2021) Food hygiene challenges in replacing single use food service ware with reusable food service items. Link

43Senata della Repubblica (2023). Delega al Governo per il recepimento delle direttive europee e l'attuazione di altri atti dell'Unione europea – Legge di delegazione europea 2019-2020. Link

44 Murray, E. (2022) ‘Latte levy’ thrown into doubt as fears grow over harm to environment from plastic alternatives. Irish Independent. Link

45 Goldstein, N. (2016) Compostable Products And Postconsumer Food Scraps. Biocycle. Link

46 Svensson, A. (2021) Life Cycle Assessment of Take-Away Food Containers An Analysis of Dry Moulding Compared to Traditional Methods. Link

47 WRAP (2021) Material Alternatives. Link

48 Franklin Associates (2018) Life Cycle Impacts Of Plastic Packaging Compared To Substitutes In The United States And Canada. [Download Link] [As part of the American Chemistry Council webpages - Link]

49 Gallego-Schmid et al. (2019) Environmental impacts of takeaway food containers. Journal of Cleaner Production (211), 417-427. Link

50 EPPA (2021) Comparative Life-Cycle Assessment (Lca) Single-Use And Multiple-Use Dishes Systems For In-Store Consumption In Quick Service Restaurants. Link. Part of this EPPA webpage - Link

51 Association of Plastic Recyclers (2020). Greenhouse Gas Generation: Plastics vs. Alternatives for Packaging. Link

52Confederation of Paper Industries (2020) Design for Recycling Guidance. Link. [As part of this Link]

53Confederation of Paper Industries (2023). Paper and Cardboard Recycling. Link

54Confederation of Paper Industries (2020). Quality Counts: Link [As part of this Link]

55 Confederation of Paper Industries (2020). How to recycle. Link. [As part of this Link]

56 Confederation of Paper Industries (2020) Recycling for Business. Link. [As part of this Link]

57 CEPI (2024) Home page. Link

58 Fair, P. A., et al. (2013) Associations between perfluoroalkyl compounds and immune and clinical chemistry parameters in highly exposed bottlenose dolphins. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 32(4), 736-746. Link

59 Serrallé, M.J. (2021) How to deal with potential allergens contained in packaging? Link

60 Keating, K. (2021). Did You Know That Food Packaging Can Contain Allergens? Link

61 Allergy UK (2023). Home page. Link

62British Society for Allergy & Clinical Immunology (2023). Home page. Link

63 Packaging Today (2019) Mineral oil migration. Link

64 FoodDrinkEurope and BLL (2018) Toolbox for Preventing transfer of undesired mineral oil hydrocarbons into food. Link

65 Neltner, T. (2018) Paper mills as a significant source of PFAS contamination, but who’s watching? Link

66 Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2022). Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS) Factsheet. Link

67 Scottish Youth Parliament (2020) From Scotland’s Young People: The Scottish Youth Parliament’s Manifesto 2021-2026. Link

68 EUWID Pulp and Paper (Year Unknown). Price Watch, UK, Cartonboard GD2, March 2021 – January 2022. [Original Link, part of EUWID’s news page here – Link]

69 Wood Mackenzie (2021) Global Aluminium Short Term Outlook, March 2021. Link

70 Scottish Youth Parliament (2020). Single-use plastic items - market restrictions: Scottish Youth Parliament response – December 2020. Link

71 Observatory of Children’s Human Rights Scotland (2020) Independent Children’s Rights Impact Assessment on the Response to Covid-19 in Scotland. Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland. Link

72 Keep Scotland Beautiful (2022) Upstream Battle on the Tay: Phase 1 2021-2022. Link

73 Notten, P., Gower, A. and Lewis, Y. (2021) Single-use menstrual products

and their alternatives: Recommendations from Life Cycle Assessments. Link

74 Hait, A. and Power, S. (2019) The value of reusable feminine hygiene products evaluated by comparative environmental life cycle assessment. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 150. Link

75 (Author Unknown) (Year Unknown) Comparing Environmental Impacts Between Disposable Diapers And Reusable Cloth Underwear. [original source unknown, report uploaded to Citizen Space by respondent]

76 Notman, N. (2021) Single-use plastic in period products. Link

77 European Union (2020) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2151. Official Journal of the European Union. Link

78 Zero Waste Scotland (2023) Trial Period. Link

79 NHS England (2018) Excellence in Continence Care Practical guidance for commissioners, and leaders in health and social care. Link

80 ERIC – The Children’s Bowel and Bladder Charity (2023). Home page. Link

81 Thomas, B. et al. (2019) Mapping Economic, Behavioural and Social Factors within the Plastic Value Chain that lead to Marine Litter in Scotland: Menstrual Products Report. Resource Futures. Link

82 Scottish Youth Parliament (2019). Call for Views on the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill: Submission from Scottish Youth Parliament, November 2019. Link

83 Welsh Government (2021) Period Dignity: Strategic Action Plan. Link

84 Grab Trust (2023) Beaches and Litter Marine Projects - Be Part of the Cycle. Link

85 Argyll and Bute Council (2023) Period Products Provision. Link

86 The Pew Charitable Trusts and System IQ (2020). Breaking the Plastic Wave Thought Partners: A Comprehensive Assessment Of Pathways Towards Stopping Ocean Plastic Pollution. Link

87 Pew (2020) Breaking the Plastic Wave | Launch Event. Link. [Youtube link - response refers to specifically to discussion on sachets at 1hr.21mins]

88 Flexible Packaging Europe (2021) Pouch LCA. [Original link here not working]

89 Flexible Packaging Europe (2016) Resource Efficiency – Prevention. Link

90 ecoplus, BOKU, denkstatt, OFI (2020) Food Packaging Sustainability: A guide for packaging manufacturers, food processors, retailers, political institutions & NGOs. Link

91 British Plastics Federation (2024) Is it better to buy goods with no packaging? Link

92 British Plastics Federation (2023) Is plastic packaging the worst offender when it comes to climate change? Link

93 Vegware (2021) Wolfson Hall: University of Glasgow student halls bans sauce sachets and closes the loop. Link

94 WRAP (2022) Recycling Locator Tool. Link

95 Keep Scotland Beautiful (Year Unknown) Spotlight on Smoking. Link

96 Schmid, T. (2018). Chasing the CAT Out: Alternative Cigarette Filter Materials. Tabacco Asia. Link.

97 Scottish Government (2019) Scottish Health Survey 2018: summary report – Chapter 4 Smoking. Link

98 Root, T. (2019) Cigarette butts are plastic pollution. Should they be banned. National Geographic. Link

99 Joly, F-X and Coulis, M. (2018) Comparison of cellulose vs. plastic cigarette filter decomposition under distinct disposal environments. Waste Management (72), 349-353. Link

100 New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (Year Unknown) Approximate Time it Takes for Garbage to Decompose in the Environment. New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. [exact link not found, home page of Department here here]

101 Haynes, S., S.A. Wilson, and D.V. Strickler. (1991) Study of the environmental degradation of cigarette filters: A simulation of the roadside or parking lot environment. Eastman Chemical Company: Kingsport [original link not found, paper is available here]

102 Bonanomi, G. et al. (2020) The fate of cigarette butts in different environments: Decay rate, chemical changes and ecotoxicity revealed by a 5-years decomposition experiment. Environmental Pollution 241. Link

103 Novotny, T.E., Slaughter, E. (2014) Tobacco Product Waste: An Environmental Approach to Reduce Tobacco Consumption. Curr Envir Health Rpt 1, 208–216. Link

104 Green, D.E, Kregting, L. and Boots, B. (2021) Effects of cigarette butts on marine keystone species (Ulva lactuca L. and Mytilus edulis L.) and sediment microphytobenthos. Marine Pollution Bulletin 165. Link

105 ASH Scotland, Keep Scotland Beautiful and the Marine Conservation Society (2020). Cigarette Filters – Statement. Link

106 Keep Britain Tidy (2023). It’s Flicking Blue Murder. Link

107 Marine Conservation Society (year unknown) Great British Beach Clean results: Scotland [2021]. Link

108 Global Center for Tobacco Control (2022) Tobacco's Toxic Plastics: A Global Outlook. Link

109 Kraus, M.J, and Townsend, T.G. (2015) Hazardous waste status of discarded electronic cigarettes. Waste Management 39, 57-62. Link

110 Tattan-Birch, H. et al. (2022) Rapid growth in disposable e-cigarette vaping among young adults in Great Britain from 2021 to 2022: a repeat cross-sectional survey. Addiction, Epub 2022. Link

111 Koltz, D. and Kastaun, S. (2021). Do people know that cigarette filters are mainly composed of synthetic material? A representative survey of the German population (the DEBRA study). Tobacco Control 30, 345-347. Link

112 Epperson, A.E, Novotny, T.E and Halpern-Felsher, B. (2021) Perceptions About the Impact of Cigarette Filters on the Environment and Smoking-Related Behaviors. Journal of Adolescent Health 68(4), 823-826. Link

113 Shen, M. et al. (2021) Smoked cigarette butts: Unignorable source for environmental microplastic fibers. Science of The Total Environment, 791 Link

114 Riglen, V. (2020) Call to ban single-use plastic cigarette filters. Marine Conservation Society. Link

115 ASH Scotland (2021) Smoking Statistics. [Original source not found – may relate to this link here]

116 Scottish Government (2020) Scottish Health Survey 2019 – Chapter 5: Smoking. Link

117National Records of Scotland (2015) Table 3: Projected population of Scotland (2014-based), by age group, 2014-2039. Link

118 Scottish Government (2015) Scottish Health Survey 2014 – Chapter 3, Smoking. Link

119Cancer Intelligence Team: Cancer Research UK (2020). Smoking prevalence projections for England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, based on data to 2018/19 Link

120 O’Conner, R.J. et al (2015) Filter presence and tipping paper color influence consumer perceptions of cigarettes. BMC Public Health,15,1279 Link

121 Smoking in Scotland (2023) Top-line findings on smoking in Scotland from the Smoking Toolkit Study. Link

122 ASH England (2022) Use of e-cigarettes among young people in Great Britain, 2022. [Link not found, but relates to this 2023 page - Link]

123 Philip Morris International (2023). Product eco-design and circularity. Link

124 Zhang, D, Huang, G., Yin, X and Gong, Q (2015) Residents’ Waste Separation Behaviors at the Source: Using SEM with the Theory of Planned Behavior in Guangzhou, China. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 12, 9475-9491. Link

125 Farrow, K, Grolleau, G. Ibanez, L. (2017) Social Norms and Pro-environmental Behavior: A Review of the Evidence. Ecological Economics 140, 1-13. Link

126 Keep Britain Tidy (2011) The Effectiveness of Enforcement on Behaviour Change: Fixed penalty notices from both sides of the line. Link

127 Straughan, P.T., Ganapathy, N., Goh, D. and Hosein, E. (2011). Towards a cleaner Singapore: Sociological study on littering in Singapore. Research Collection School of Social Sciences. Paper 2195. Link

128 Menzer, L., Parnell-Wolfe, I., O'Carroll, M., and Perkins, D. (2014). Behavioural economics of waste management: Identifying factors that influence personal waste sorting practices. Link

129 Marevivo (2023) Small Actions, Big Crimes. Link

130 Keep Scotland Beautiful (2023) No Butts on Rose Street. Link

131 Harris, L., Liboiron, M., Charron, L. and Mather, C. (2021) Using citizen science to evaluate extended producer responsibility policy to reduce marine plastic debris shows no reduction in pollution levels. Marine Policy 123. Link

132 Brown KF, et al. (2018) The fraction of cancer attributable to modifiable risk factors in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the United Kingdom in 2015. British Journal of Cancer 118, 1130–1141. Link

133 Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (2020) Global Health Data Exchange. Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Results Tool. Link

134 Song, M et al. (2017) Cigarette Filter Ventilation and its Relationship to Increasing Rates of Lung Adenocarcinoma. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 109(12). Link

135 Harris, B. (2011) The intractable cigarette ‘filter problem’. Tobacco Control. 20, i10-i16. Link

136 Scottish Government (2013) Creating A Tobacco-Free Generation: A Tobacco Control Strategy for Scotland. Link

137 UK Government (2023) Environment Act 2021. Link

138 WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (2023) WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Link

139 WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (2013) Guidelines for implementation of Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Link

140 All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health (2021) Delivering a Smokefree 2030: The All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health recommendations for the Tobacco Control Plan 2021. Link

141 Patterson, C. et al. (2021) Funding the Smokefree Generation: Expert stakeholder views on implementing a tobacco control fund in the United Kingdom. Cancer Research UK. Link.

142 European Commission, Directorate-General for the Environment (2021): Study to support the development of implementing acts and guidance under the Directive on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment - WP 6 final report on developing guidelines on litter clean-up costs. Link

143 Benson, A. et al. (2021) Current and past trends in tobacco and e-cigarette use and the impact of control measures: an analysis of survey data and other evidence. Natcen. Link

144 McNeill, A. et al. (2021) Vaping in England: an evidence update including vaping for smoking cessation, February 2021. Public Health England. Link

145 European Commission (2018). Impact Assessment regarding Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment. [Original link not found, appears to relate to this link here]

146 Smoking in Scotland (2024) Trends in electronic cigarette use [citing January 2022 data]. Link

147 NHS Health Scotland (2017). Consensus statement on e-cigarettes. Link

148 Smoking in Scotland (2024) Monthly trends on smoking in Scotland from the Smoking Toolkit Study [citing January 2022 data]. Link

149 Perman-Howe, P.R et al. (2022) Harm perceptions of nicotine-containing products and associated sources of information in UK adults with and without mental ill health: A cross-sectional survey. Addiction 117(3), 715-729. Link

150 Myers Smith, K. et al. (2022) E-cigarettes versus nicotine replacement treatment as harm reduction interventions for smokers who find quitting difficult: randomized controlled trial. Addiction, 117(1), 224-233. Link

151 Scottish Government (2020) Scottish Health Survey 2019: Supplementary Tables. Table W581: Table 581: E-cigarette use (current smokers), by age, 2018/2019 combined. Link

152 WRAP (2021) Financial Cost of Packaging Litter – Phase 2 – Final Report. Link

153 Cancer Research UK (2023) Is vaping harmful? Link

154 Chaudhuri, S. (2022) One Grocer Wanted to Give Up Plastic. It Got Rotting Bananas. The Wall Street Journal. Link

155 denkstatt (2015) Vermeidung von Lebensmittelabfällen durch Verpackung [slides]. Link

156 Plastics Europe (2023) Food Waste. Link

157 KM Packaging (2021) Supermarkets lead the way with shop-and-drop recycling points. Link

158 turn2us (2023) Millions across UK are living without appliances. Link

159 AMDEA (2021) Market Information. Link

160 Plastic Waste Innovation Hub (2023) The Big Compost Experiment. Link

161 WRAP (2022) Reducing household food waste and plastic packaging. Link