Scotland is drowning in a sea of plastic. With an astonishing 2.5 billion single use drinks containers sold here every year, there is a widespread recognition that things simply cannot go on as they are.
Now action is being taken – or, at least, is planned. We are set to become the first part of the UK to introduce a deposit return scheme (DRS) to encourage more sustainable use and to encourage people to recycle.
The idea is not entirely new – other countries such as Norway and Australia have already embraced it and in Sweden more than 1.8 billion items are returned under its own deposit return scheme every year, amounting to 85% per cent of this type of waste. But it would represent a pioneering new approach in the fight against pollution, environmental damage and climate change.
However, there are worries among some leading environmentalists that when Scottish Government plans are finally published, they could be watered down following behind-the-scenes lobbying by the plastics industry and others.
Eight campaigners have now joined together to publish an open letter demanding that the scheme must be as broad as possible without exclusions to protect commercial interests.
It would be unacceptable and confusing, they say, to create a two-tier system where some products can be returned by consumers and others cannot.
Those putting their names to the campaign for an “all-in” DRS include John Burton, Chief Executive Officer of the World Land Trust; Sian Sutherland, Co-Founder of the pressure group A Plastic Planet; Christopher Stephenson, Head of Operations at Plan Vivo Foundation; and Kathy Wormald, Chief Executive Officer of Froglife.
Other signatories are Jo Royle, Managing Director of Common Seas; Natalie Fee, Founder of City to Sea; Dominic Dyer, Chief Executive Officer of the Badger Trust; and Neil Garrick- Maidment, Executive Director of The Seahorse Trust.
In the letter, they point out that more than 3,200 people responded to last year’s Scottish Government consultation on how a DRS should be designed.
The results of this showed there was a high level of support for covering the widest possible range of materials, including plastic containers, metal cans, glass, cartons and disposable cups.
“In the face of mounting public support for an all-in DRS,” the letter says, “special interests are lobbying the Scottish government to exclude certain materials from the scheme.
“But creating a confusing two-tier system would make it even harder for consumers to recycle the drinks containers they use every day.”
The eight also point out that protecting the environment and reducing waste means creating a circular economy in which recycling keeps materials out of the environment.
“A piecemeal DRS will do little to gain the confidence of Scots who have little time to navigate the bewildering complexities of our recycling system.
“With Whitehall currently consulting on the introduction of a DRS in the rest of the UK, politicians south of the border are looking to Scotland to set a shining example of a system that works for people and planet.
“Australia, Norway and the Baltic countries have shown that a universal deposit scheme is possible and increases recycling levels.
“There is no reason we can’t follow suit.” The letter concludes: “If Holyrood pursues its stated ambitions, it must listen to Scots and ensure they go all-out for an all-in DRS.”
The Scottish Government is fully committed to introducing the deposit return scheme, though full details of how it will operate have still to be worked out.
The aim is to encourage re-use of drinks containers by charging consumers a small deposit for the bottle or can they buy. They then get the money back with they return the container to be recycled.
In some existing schemes in other parts of the world they can be returned to shops, while in other locations dedicated drop-off points are used.
The difference new legislation will make could be dramatic. In the UK the average family throws away 40 kilograms of plastic waste every year.
In total eight million tonnes of this damaging refuse enters the world’s oceans annually, threatening and killing marine life – it is estimated that 59% of whales, 40% of seabirds and 36% of seals have been affected.
Above Diageo’s Oliver Loomes and brewer Orla Gill with the new packaging.
Some companies are aware of the damaging effect of plastics and are being proactive in taking their own steps to deal with it. The drinks giant Diageo, for instance, is planning a number of measures including removing plastic ring carriers and shrink wrap from its multipacks of Guinness, Harp and Smithwick’s. Cardboard will be used instead of plastic and new packaging will be introduced. The company says this will reduce plastic waste by 400 tonnes a year – equivalent to 40 million 500ml plastic bottles.
Diageo’s Global Head of Beer, Mark Sandys, says the move will make an important difference. “We already have one of the most sustainable breweries in the world and we are now leading the way in sustainable packaging.
“This is good for the brand, for our wider beer portfolio and for the environment.”
The Herald’s Climate for Change initiative supports efforts being made by the Scottish Government with key organisations and campaign partners. Throughout the year we will provide a forum in The Herald newspaper, online at herald.scotland.com and in Business HQ magazine, covering news and significant developments in this increasingly crucial area.
If you are interested in contributing editorially or interested in becoming a Climate for Change partner, please contact Stephen McTaggart on 0141 302 6137 or email stephen.mctaggart@heraldandtimes.co.uk
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