MINISTERS have been urged to ignore the “vested interests” trying to prevent the new deposit return scheme.
Environmental groups fear the Government is coming under pressure from industry to water down proposals for the scheme where customers pay a small deposit for the bottle or can their drink comes in.
The Scottish Government has committed to introducing the deposit return scheme (DRS), but campaigners believe food and drink producers and packaging manufacturers are lobbying the Government behind the scenes in a bid to limit the scope of the system that eventually gets introduced.
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A recent consultation on the deposit return scheme saw industry figures overwhelmingly call for a scheme that focused solely on plastics and metals, rather than glass, as it would be cost-effective, and a “good” or “easy” starting point.
But a new poll for Marine Conservation Scotland (MCS), published exclusively in The National today, showed huge public support for glass being part of any DRS.
The research, carried out by YouGov, showed that 85% of Scots wanted glass containers to be included in the scheme.
MCS head of conservation Scotland, Calum Duncan (pictured above), said: “It’s clear that people in Scotland back the idea of a money-back recycling system and we want the Scottish Government to lead the UK in designing one that is world-class.
“What is also evident from our polling is that most voters want glass, plastic, aluminium cans and other drinks cartons to be included, with glass at the very top of their list. Ministers must listen to consumers instead of those in industry with vested interests.”
Jenni Hume, from the Have You Got The Bottle? campaign agreed: “It’s no surprise that people across Scotland are so determined to see glass bottles included in our deposit return system. Broken glass on our streets is a particular risk for young people and for pets and wild animals, and the ‘glass cheque’ is the best way to keep that litter to a minimum.
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“Deposit return is also about making producers responsible for the materials they use. If glass – the most carbon-intensive material there is – is exempted, there would be a perverse incentive for businesses to switch to glass. Ministers must choose: will they back public demands for glass to be included, and will they support jobs in Scotland’s glass recycling sector?”
Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham told The National she was “proud of the fact that Scotland was the first part of the UK to commit to a deposit return scheme.”
She added: “The scheme is central to our wider circular economy ambitions and will be an effective way of increasing recycling rates and preventing discarded drinks containers from ending up in our streets and seas.
“We continue to give careful consideration to the scheme’s design and will set out next steps for its implementation shortly”.
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