An East Renfrewshire school has announced plans to ditch single-use plastics.

Staff and pupils at the Isobel Mair School, in Newton Mearns, say that eliminating these materials will help them do their bit for the environment.

From tomorrow, the school’s order of plastic cups and bowls will be discontinued and pupils will be asked to stop bringing plastic water bottles.

Hazel McKinnon, principal teacher at Isobel Mair School, said: “All of the pupils and staff are committed to recycling more and reducing the amount of litter created within the school.

“We are excited to be starting the #OneUseIsNoUse campaign to eradicate single-use plastic materials from our school in a phased approach.

“The campaign will support the school’s litter-free ambitions, as well as educating our pupils on the importance of recycling.”

The school is now encouraging pupils to bring their own cups and mugs for collecting water throughout the day.

They have also been asked to bring a reusable mug they can use to eat their soup at lunchtime.

And staff have been asked to consider the environment when getting hot drinks from local stores.

The move has been welcomed by local environmental groups.

David Allison, co-convener of East Renfrewshire Greens, said: “It’s fantastic that the students and staff at Isobel Mair School are taking the initiative to cut out single-use plastics.

“This step is essential to reduce litter and the serious harm that plastics have on wildlife and habitats, so the Isobel Mair School should be commended for working to make these changes now rather than setting a target almost a quarter of a century into the future.

“We encourage other schools and especially East Renfrewshire Council’s own offices and facilities to follow the lead of the Isobel Mair School and cut unnecessary plastic use in 2018.”

In Scotland, more than one billion plastic water bottles are sold every year.

This contributes to nearly 15,000 tonnes of plastic being sent to landfill each year.