On-the-spot fines for flytipping in Scotland will more than double from today, rising to £500.

Circular economy minister Lorna Slater said the Scottish Government made "no apologies for taking bold action".

The penalty imposed on those who discard rubbish where they should not will rise from £200.

The Herald: The penalty will rise from £200 to £500 The penalty will rise from £200 to £500 (Image: Newsquest)

It comes after the government's litter and flytipping strategy and action plan, published in June 2023, outlined plans to try to change behaviour and strengthen enforcement.

READ MORE: 'Entirely unrealistic': MSPs slam costs of Lorna Slater's latest plan 

The Circular Economy Bill, which is currently being considered by Holyrood, also includes measures to tackle the problems of litter and flytipping, with a new penalty regime planned to tackle those who throw rubbish from cars, as well as new powers created to seize vehicles that had have been involved in "waste crime".

The legislation, which has been proposed by the Scottish Government, could also see the introduction of fixed-penalty notices for householders who fail to dispose of waste correctly, by for example putting items in the wrong bin.

The Herald: Flytipping in the Bridgeton area of Glasgow Flytipping in the Bridgeton area of Glasgow (Image: Newsquest)

Ms Slater said: "Scotland is a beautiful country and we all have a responsibility to keep it that way.

"We make no apologies for taking bold action on tackling litter and fly-tipping, which is a blight on our streets, communities and countryside, as well as threatening our natural environment and wildlife.

READ MORE: Fury over £50 fine for garden waste in Glasgow 

"Our vision is for a future where Scotland's environment and communities are not blighted by litter and fly-tipping, and materials remain within a circular economy.

The Herald: Party co-leader Lorna Slater speaking at the Scottish Green Party conference at the Stirling Court Hotel in the grounds of the University of Stirling. Picture date: Saturday March 12, 2022. PA Photo. See PA story SCOTLAND Greens . Photo credit should

"Supporting behaviour change and strengthening enforcement are two key themes of the Strategy."

It comes after a survey found that 90% of Scots believe that litter is an issue across the country, the highest figure since records began.

Environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful published two new reports last month; the Scottish Litter Survey, a public perception snapshot conducted by the Diffley Partnership and a ground litter report How clean are our streets? - both revealing the depth and breadth of what they described as "Scotland's litter emergency".

The former found that 90% of those surveyed believe litter is a problem across the nation, while the latter revealed that litter levels continue to significantly impact the cleanliness of our streets and roads with 75% of sites being littered while one in 10 were observed to have a significant presence adversely affecting the cleanliness of the area.