Pay-to-recycle plans in Scotland

28.07.08 09:18

Scots could be paid to recycle empty bottles under government proposals aimed at boosting recycling levels.

Plans to bring back "deposit and return" schemes, where shoppers get money back if they bring back empty bottles, are also being considered.

The ideas are part of a new Scottish Government consultation on possible legislation aimed at helping to create a "Zero Waste" Scotland.

Environment secretary Richard Lochhead said fresh ideas were needed, and urged Scots to share their views on recycling.

He said: ``In recent years, Scotland has been making steady progress in increasing recycling rates and reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill.

"However, the Scottish Government is committed to achieving a recycling rate of 70% and cutting municipal waste sent to landfill to 5% by 2025.

"The time is now right for a major push towards making these targets a reality to help limit the effects of climate change.

"To do this we must reduce the unnecessary use of raw materials, prevent waste and use more recycled material."

Environment chiefs believe "deposit and return" schemes could significantly increase levels of recycling.

Such schemes used to operate on a non-statutory basis in Scotland, with consumers charged a deposit for some bottles, such as lemonade bottles.

They got their deposit back when they returned the bottles, which were then sent back to the manufacturer for refilling rather than recycling.

In Denmark, where the scheme is statutory, deposits apply to all cans and bottles containing beer, cider, soft drinks, alcopops and energy drinks.

Their return rate for bottles for recycling is about 85%, approaching about 100% for bottles designed for reuse.

The Scottish Government said the scheme could also be extended to other material, including aluminium trays from takeaways and tin cans.

The use of high tech "reverse vending", where a consumer feeds the empty bottle or container into a machine for financial reward, is also being considered.

Mr Lochhead said that "deposit and return" schemes and "reverse vending" machines could double the number of bottles recycled in Scotland.

He said: "In Scotland, we estimate that currently around 30% to 40% of glass bottles are recycled and around 35% of household plastic bottles are recycled, using existing arrangements such as bottle banks in the street or elsewhere and kerbside collections.

"While these figures are undoubtedly an improvement on where we once were, there is still more we can do.

"We all have a role to play in ensuring Scotland becomes a cleaner, greener place and dealing with our waste responsibly is a huge part of that."

The government said that any moves to introduce a statutory deposit and return system in Scotland would require close and further consultation with retailers and other bodies.

Any new statutory system would also need to be in line with Scotland's EU obligations.

The environmental charity WWF Scotland backed a deposit and return system.

Head of policy, Dr Dan Barlow, said: "We welcome any proposals aimed at improving re-use and recycling in Scotland and look forward to seeing the detail of the consultation.

"Deposit and return systems which encourage refilling and recycling of cans and bottles have been shown to work very successfully elsewhere.

"We would support the introduction of a deposit return system in Scotland."

WWF Scotland is calling for waste prevention schemes to be given a greater priority, and also wants to see an end to excessive packaging.

In addition the charity wants urgent action to tackle business, commercial and industrial waste, along with continued improvement in recycling rates.

Dr Barlow said: "Reducing the amount of waste we produce coupled to achieving much higher levels of recycling are essential if Scotland is to achieve its zero waste ambition."