A drive to reduce the council’s procurement and use of items including plastic straws, disposable cups and plastic cutlery has been taking place across all resources in recent years.

Work has also been done to take action in schools and within South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture to ensure the changes made are as widespread as possible.

Several single use items are no longer bought at all by the council and, line with the most recent legislation, the council has been actively replacing plastic products such as food-takeaway boxes with suitable alternatives.

In some respects, the reductions have been dramatic: plastic forks and knives by 72%, plastic and wooden stirrers by 85%, plastic spoons by 93% and polystyrene containers by 94%. Straws have been almost completely eradicated with a reduction of 97%.

Councillor Mark McGeever, chair of the Climate Change and Sustainability Committee, said: “These are great reductions and show tremendous work by the staff, who have driven efforts to cut down these items for the sake of the environment and our future.

“However, we will not be complacent. The successes already achieved need to push us further, and help to change attitudes and behaviours.

“Work will continue to raise awareness across the council of the need to reduce our reliance on single-use items – and also to remind everyone that if they do really have to use them, then they should be disposed of properly.

“Each and every one of us has a responsibility to drive this forward and deliver a better, sustainable future. I urge everyone to play their part by thinking about what we use and how we dispose of it.”