The Scottish Parliament has voted to approve regulations which will establish Scotland’s Deposit Scheme to boost recycling of single-use drinks containers.
The scheme will see people pay a 20p deposit on metal cans and PET plastic and glass bottles, refunded when they’re returned for recycling.
The final regulations, which were laid in the Scottish Parliament in March, maintain the ambitious approach to materials, with glass included alongside PET plastic and aluminium and steel.
Following consultation with island communities, feedback from the Scottish Parliament’s Environment Committee and stakeholder input, the Scottish Government made changes to the regulations.
These include a commitment to review the performance of the scheme by October 2026, including the deposit level, materials and the collection targets.
Zero Waste Scotland has been advising the Scottish Government on the design of the scheme, which builds on evidence from successful international schemes and the response to the Scottish Government’s public consultation.
Zero Waste Scotland’s Chief Operating Officer, Jill Farrell, says the scheme will be a “game-changer” for recycling and the circular economy in Scotland.
“By giving people an extra incentive to do something good for our environment, and having a consistent approach across Scotland, it will be easier for all of us to do the right thing”, she said. “This will improve the volume and quality of recycling and help tackle litter in the process.
“With a huge network of places to return your bottles and cans, it will be just as easy to return a drink as it is to buy one in the first place. I’m proud of Zero Waste Scotland’s role in advising the Scottish Government on this design, which has resulted in a blueprint for a world-class scheme.”
The Scottish Government has also published the Stage 1 Full Business Case for the scheme. This document, which provides the overarching framework for the preferred scheme design and commercial approach, can be access on the Scottish Government website.
Now that the scheme has passed into law, details on how to apply to become a scheme administrator(s) that will run Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme will be available shortly.
Until the deposit return scheme is up and running, as Scotland continues to tackle coronavirus, consumers should follow the latest government and local authority advice on dealing with recycling and waste items.
You can find help and guidance on managingourwaste.scot which includes our simple and practical advice on how to manage your waste effectively to help ease the pressure on our essential services.
You can also find lots of useful recycling and waste reduction hints and tips on the new How To Waste Less website.
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