LORNA Slater has rubbished claims Circularity Scotland will benefit from £57 million a year from Scots not recycling through the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).
Tory MSP Brian Whittle raised the issue at Holyrood on Tuesday afternoon after reports claimed the not-for-profit company’s business model relies on people not returning some glass and plastic for a 20p refund.
But Slater, minister for circular economy, said any unredeemed deposits would be reinvested into keeping the cost of running the scheme as low as possible – a model the UK Government has said it will use for its scheme in England and Wales.
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She also insisted councils would save millions by having to remove less waste from the environment.
In response to Whittle’s topical question, Slater said: “Circularity Scotland is a not-for-profit company.
“Everyone who pays a deposit will be able to reclaim that in full. Any unredeemed deposits will be reinvested into keeping the cost of running the scheme as low as possible.
“This model is in line with best practice seen in other schemes around the world.
“The successful Deposit Return Schemes around the world are based on this principle of producer responsibilities and they are funded in three ways – one is through the producer fees, the second is through the value of the materials gathered and the third from the unredeemed deposits."
Slater said that this was also true for the UK Government's scheme.
She continued: “In the UK Government’s own consultation, they have said, and I quote, where a container is not returned the value of deposit on that container will be held by the DMO – that’s their word for the administrator - this is an unredeemed deposit and is of potentially significant value for the DMO, helping to fund the operation of the scheme.”
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Scottish Secretary Alister Jack is expected to deny the Scottish Government’s request for a trade exemption for their flagship recycling scheme, according to reports.
This could cause another dispute between the Scottish and UK governments just two months after Westminster’s unprecedented move to use a Section 35 order to block the Gender Recognition Reform (GRR) Bill from becoming law.
The SNP’s Fergus Ewing – who has been vocal in his opposition to the DRS – raised concerns that much of the £57m which will be “lost” in non-redeemed deposits will be “paid out and lost by those who can’t return bulky and heavy items”.
He said these include the elderly, mobility impaired and islanders who cannot reach a return point.
He added: “Their money will go to the non-disclosed but probably telephone number salaries of the bosses of Circularity Scotland. Is this transfer of money from the poorest to the richest not immoral?”
Slater replied: “I think the member mischaracterises the scheme entirely. Accessibility to the scheme is critical to the success of the scheme and we are working hard to ensure that every person will be able to access the scheme.
“Nobody is required to take the scheme article back to the exact store they bought it from. Even if you buy online from a small retailer, you can return anywhere.
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“With the proposed changes to the regulations where we are phasing in the online take back it is important that everyone in Scotland including those with mobility issues can access the scheme. “Work is underway to understand who many people that is and how we may best ensure they can fully access the scheme.”
Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer claimed Ewing and the Scottish Tories were “desperate” to bring the scheme into disrepute because they “object to the fundamental principle of the scheme that the polluter pays instead of the taxpayer”.
Slater confirmed £46m a year of public money is spent removing litter from the Scottish environment and the DRS will mean councils will have less waste to handle, saving the taxpayer money.
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