In a statement made to the Scottish Parliament today, Lorna Slater MSP, Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy, and Biodiversity, announced that the introduction of the deposit return scheme (DRS) in Scotland will be delayed until at least October 2025. Slater criticized the UK government’s decision to exclude glass from the scheme without justification, which led to the Scottish government’s delay of the implementation.
Slater emphasized that the Scottish authorities approached the introduction of the DRS with goodwill and included glass in their scheme, as other UK nations did until recently. She also acknowledged the significance of feedback from business groups, including the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), during a meeting with the first minister.
James Lowman, CEO of the ACS, supported the Scottish government’s decision and advocated for an interoperable scheme across the UK, effective in increasing recycling rates, and not imposing additional conditions on retailers.
An exemption from the Internal Market Act was granted to the Scottish government by the UK government, allowing them to introduce the DRS with the condition of not including glass in the scheme. Northern Ireland and England’s latest DRS proposals will also exclude glass and are set to launch in 2025.
David Harris, CEO of Circularity Scotland, expressed disappointment over the delay and noted that it would impact Scotland’s investment. He argued that a viable scheme without glass would provide an opportunity for Scotland to serve as a platform for a DRS throughout the UK.
The Federation of Independent Retailers welcomed the Scottish government’s decision, stating that it made sense to launch the scheme simultaneously with the rest of the UK. However, they highlighted that compensation should be provided for retailers who entered leasing agreements for machines to process returned bottles and cans.
Environmental campaigners criticized the delay, stating that millions of plastic bottles could have been saved from waste by implementing the DRS. They called out the UK government’s disregard for the urgency of the environmental crisis and the initial promise of including glass in the scheme.
