New measures help to reduce waste and conserve valuable resources.
Proposals have been launched to address the climate and biodiversity crisis by supporting Scotland’s transition to a zero-waste and circular economy.
The measures to significantly increase reuse and recycling rates and to modernize and improve waste and recycling services will be defined in two consultations – a circular economy law and a waste route map.
Key suggestions include:
- Ban on the destruction of unsold goods to ensure products never end up in landfill or are incinerated when they could be used or recycled
- Improving household recycling and reuse services and advising on separate collection of curbside textiles by 2025
- Introducing new reporting to show where recycling goes after it’s been collected
- Measures to reduce the consumption of problematic single-use items and encourage the reuse of products
- new powers to combat litter from vehicles
- a mandatory requirement for businesses to report surplus and waste figures for commodities such as food and textiles
- Powers to set local recycling targets, reflecting the success of Wales which has one of the highest household recycling rates in the world
Scotland’s circular economy targets, outlined in the Scottish Government’s Climate Action Plan, include ending 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 Secretary Lorna Slater opened the consultations during a visit to Edinburgh Furniture, run by homeless charity Foursquare. The charity uses donated furniture to furnish its homeless shelters and raise money for its other services.
Lorna Slater said:
“To tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis, we must quickly reduce our raw material needs, increase reuse and repair, and recycle more.
“We need to 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, user-friendly waste service that makes it easy for people to do what’s right for the planet.
“We are already taking action, including delivering the Scottish Deposit Return Scheme and our £70m Recycling Improvement Fund, but we know we need to act faster if we are to meet our climate commitments. It requires us to be bold and courageous and to focus on taking the necessary action – and this has to be a collective effort.
“These consultations set out the main proposed actions and the tools we will use to help everyone do their part to reduce waste in our economy and capitalize on the economic opportunities that a circular economy offers for businesses.
“The Circular Economy Act will give us the power to reduce waste in our economy while conserving valuable resources and protecting our natural environment.”
Iain Gulland, Chief Executive of Zero Waste Scotland said:
“Today marks a huge step in Scotland’s transition to a circular economy. “For years, Zero Waste Scotland has been campaigning for a more circular economy and helping to reduce overconsumption. By supporting Scottish citizens, communities and businesses through funding and tailored advice, we work hard to implement more sustainable ways of life.
“The Circular Economy Act contains measures and approaches that will further solidify and support the progress we are making and it is crucial that 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 important consultations.”
background
The Circular Economy Bill consultations and Delivering Scotland’s Circular Economy: A Route Map to 2025 and beyond are available on the Scottish Government website. The 12-week consultations will run until August 22, 2022.
The suggested priorities in the route map are:
- Promoting and supporting responsible production and consumption (including tackling the consumption of single-use items and promoting reuse)
- Reducing food waste from households and businesses
- Significantly improve household and business recycling
- embed circular building practices
- Minimize the impact of disposing of waste that cannot be reused or recycled
- Strengthening our data and evidence, sustainable sourcing practices, and skills and training
Scotland was the first part of the UK to introduce a ban on many of the most problematic single-use plastics and this legislation comes into force on 1 June 2022. Under the new ban, businesses in Scotland will be punished for providing the items, which include plastic cutlery and food containers.
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