New measures will help cut waste and preserve precious resources
Proposals to help tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis by supporting Scotland’s transition to a zero waste and circular economy have been launched.
The measures, designed to significantly increase reuse and recycling rates, and modernise and improve waste and recycling services, are set out in two consultations – on a Circular Economy Bill and a Waste Route Map.
Key proposals include:
- banning the destruction of unsold goods to ensure that products never end up landfilled or incinerated when they could be used or recycled
- improving household recycling and reuse services and consulting on separate kerbside collection of textiles by 2025
- introducing new reporting to show where recycling goes once it has been collected
- measures to reduce the consumption of problematic single-use items and promote reuse of products
- new powers to tackle littering from vehicles
- a mandatory requirement for businesses to report surplus and waste figures for goods such as food and textiles
- powers to set local recycling targets, reflecting the success of Wales, which has the one of the highest household recycling rates in the world
Scotland’s circular economy targets, outlined in the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan, include ending the landfilling of biodegradable municipal waste by 2025, reducing the percentage of all waste sent to landfill to 5% by 2025, and recycling 70% of all waste by 2025.
Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater launched the consultations on a visit to the Edinburgh Furniture, which is run by the homelessness charity Foursquare.
The charity uses donated furniture to furnish its homeless accommodation and to raise money for its other services.
Lorna Slater said: “To tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis, we need to rapidly reduce our demand for raw material, increase reuse and repair, and recycle more.
“We must make a circular option the easy option for Scottish households, businesses and the public sector. I want everyone in the country to experience a modern, easy to use waste service that makes it easy for people to do the right thing for the planet.
“We are already taking action, including delivering Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme and our £70 million Recycling Improvement Fund, but we know we need to move faster if we are to meet our climate obligations.
“It requires us to be bold, brave, and focused on delivering the actions needed – and this must be a collective effort.
“These consultations set out the key proposed actions and the tools we will put in place to help everyone play their part in cutting waste in our economy, capitalising on the economic opportunities that a circular economy presents to businesses.
“The Circular Economy Bill will give us the powers to cut waste in our economy, while preserving precious resources and protecting our natural environment.”
Chief Executive of Zero Waste Scotland Iain Gulland said: “Today marks a tremendous step in Scotland’s transition towards a circular economy. “For years, Zero Waste Scotland has championed and helped usher in a more circular economy to reduce over-consumption.
“By supporting Scottish citizens, communities and businesses, through funding and tailored advice we are working hard to implement more sustainable ways of living.
“The Circular Economy Bill includes measures and approaches that will further cement and support the strides we’re making and crucially, it is a step in the right direction to end our contribution to the climate crisis.
“I encourage everyone in Scotland to take part in these vital consultations.”
Environmental campaigners have welcomed the move and are calling for strong targets to reduce the global extraction of resources supplying the Scottish economy, and measures to change the way materials are used in Scotland.
A circular economy is when materials are reused and recycled as much as possible before new resources are taken from nature, as opposed to our current linear ‘take, make, dispose’ model.
Kim Pratt, circular economy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “Over-consumption by the wealthy few is pushing our whole planet to breaking point.
“Our current economic system, built on the idea of unlimited growth, is driving climate breakdown and leading to global material supply disruptions – it can’t go on. We need to reduce our reliance on new materials by changing our economic consumption patterns.
“The Scottish Government has made some really encouraging suggestions in the Circular Economy Bill. We need circularity to be embedded throughout government and Scotland’s economic sectors for it to be as effective as possible. The commitment to regular reviews and the creation of a circular economy public body are welcome.
“This new organisation needs to be independent of government and adequately funded. Creating a circular economy will require a step change in the scale and rate of change, based on strong leadership and collaboration. Now is the time to be bold.
“Targets to reduce both Scotland’s carbon footprint and material footprints need to be at the heart of the Circular Economy Bill to create real change, so it’s great to see that these have been prioritised in the bill. We must reduce Scotland’s carbon footprint to zero by 2050 to ensure Scotland contributes its fair share to global climate mitigation. Scotland’s material footprint must more than halve by 2050.”
Scotland’s material footprint was 18 tonnes per person in 2017, which is higher than the EU average (14 tonnes per person). Experts suggest that we can live sustainable, high quality lives with eight tonnes per person, by moving to a circular economy where materials are reused and recycled as much as possible.
82% of Scotland’s carbon footprint comes from the products and services we buy. Over half these emissions are due to imported goods but these are not included in Scotland’s climate targets. This means the environmental and social damage caused overseas by demand for goods in Scotland is virtually invisible at the moment, which is stopping it from being tackled.
The Scottish Government launched a review on waste targets at the same time as the consultation on the circular economy bill. The waste targets consultation is a key part of rapid system change required in Scotland.