The Scottish Government’s flagship recycling program, the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), has been delayed until at least the end of 2025. The delay comes after London imposed certain conditions on the scheme, making delivery impossible, as it may breach post-Brexit internal market law by creating trade barriers within Britain. Although the Scottish Government had placed DRS at the heart of its 2045 zero-emissions target, the UK government had only provided it with a partial endorsement. The scheme aimed to encourage recycling by adding a 20-cent charge to individual beverage containers, which would be refunded when empty cans and bottles were returned to the “reverse vending machines”. The Scottish Government blamed London, which insisted that the scheme excluded glass, for the delay.
Scotland delayed recycling program
Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater told MSPs in Holyrood that the Scottish Government had “no other option” than the DRS after failing to meet the conditions set by the UK government. The UK government demanded a common maximum filing fee for the whole of Britain, which was difficult to comply with, as other national schemes were lagging behind in their own recycling targets. The exclusion of glass was essential to ensure compatibility with schemes in England and Wales, ensuring simplicity for businesses operating across the UK. The Scottish Retail Consortium stated that the Scottish Government’s decision would have “serious implications” for the investment that companies have made to prepare for the program.
London imposes certain conditions
London’s fear of introducing the scheme in Scotland ahead of the rest of the UK risked breaching post-Brexit internal market law by creating trade barriers within Britain, where consumers would be charged different prices for the same product on both sides of the border. The UK government did not respond immediately to the Scottish Government’s decision to delay the DRS.
Additional piece:
UK recycling policy – what are the challenges?
The UK government has faced considerable criticism over its slow progress towards introducing a coordinated policy on recycling across the country. The issue has been blurred by devolution, resulting in various recycling targets across different regions. The current scenario leaves businesses facing complex and varied regulations, depending on where they operate. The Scottish Government’s delay highlights the UK government’s difficulty in harmonising standards across the country.
Despite numerous promises, the UK government has failed to implement a well-thought-out recycling strategy. The country’s recycling rate has remained stagnant at around 45% for several years. Lack of coordination and limited progress can be attributed to a lack of political will and funding. The COVID-19 pandemic has made the situation even worse, exacerbating some existing issues, such as contamination of recycled materials from PPE, which has to be handled as hazardous waste.
The UK government has been considering implementing a new deposit return scheme, which requires users to pay a deposit on drink containers to encourage recycling. However, implementing the scheme has legal and administrative challenges, as witnessed in the Scottish case. It is difficult to ensure compatibility between devolved administrations, coordinate with businesses, handle potential trade barriers within the UK post-Brexit, and balance costs between businesses and customers. The UK government will need to invest in research and development to create a more coordinated recycling scheme that is widely accepted by all parties.
Despite the challenges, there is hope that the UK government can lead a significant change in recycling policies. To achieve this, the government must invest in innovation, education, and technological advancement. Research and development into more advanced recycling techniques such as chemical recycling and waste-to-energy programmes are essential to drive the recycling agenda forward. The UK government must also coordinate better with the EU, businesses, communities, and other local and national authorities to ensure consistency and commitment.
Summary:
The Scottish Government has delayed their flagship recycling program, the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), until at least the end of 2025 due to conditions imposed by London. The UK government agreed to only provide partial endorsement, which will risk creating trade barriers within the country. The scheme required a 20-cent charge to individual beverage containers and provided refunds when empty bottles and cans were returned to reverse vending machines. The Scottish Government will have to exclude glass to ensure compatibility with schemes in England and Wales. The Scottish Retail Consortium claims that this decision will have serious implications for the investment made to prepare the program.
Keywords: Scotland, UK government, recycling, Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), trade barriers, glass, internal market law, devolution, innovation, waste-to-energy, chemical recycling, businesses.
—————————————————-
| Article | Link |
|---|---|
| UK Artful Impressions | Premiere Etsy Store |
| Sponsored Content | View |
| 90’s Rock Band Review | View |
| Ted Lasso’s MacBook Guide | View |
| Nature’s Secret to More Energy | View |
| Ancient Recipe for Weight Loss | View |
| MacBook Air i3 vs i5 | View |
| You Need a VPN in 2023 – Liberty Shield | View |
The Scottish Government delayed his flagship recycling program at least until the end of 2025, stating that conditions imposed by London had made delivery impossible.
Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater told MSPs in Holyrood on Wednesday that the devolved administration had been “left with no other option” than the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), after the UK government agreed to give it only a partial endorsement.
The delay comes as a blow to Prime Minister Humza Yousaf, whose government had placed DRS at the heart of its 2045 zero-emissions target and spells his defeat in last constitutional dispute with London, who insisted that glass be excluded from the scheme.
The DRS, which was due to launch in March next year, aims to encourage recycling by adding a 20-cent charge to individual beverage containers. The money would be refunded when empty cans and bottles were returned to the “reverse vending machines”.
London feared that introducing the scheme in Scotland ahead of the rest of the UK in October 2025 risked breaching post-Brexit internal market law by creating trade barriers within Britain, with consumers charging different prices for the same product on both sides of the border.
Ministers argued that the exclusion of glass would ensure the Edinburgh plans were compatible with schemes in England and Wales and ensure simplicity for businesses operating across the UK.
Slater said Scotland could not meet conditions set by the UK government, including a common maximum filing fee for the whole of Britain, because other national schemes lagged far behind his own. You blamed the delay on London “much more intent on sabotaging this parliament than on protecting our environment”.
“Going ahead of the UK means we will be asking companies to comply with regulations we haven’t seen yet,” he said, noting that London could set a deposit level above or below 20p.
“How are we to proceed with the scheme on the basis that we have to wait for the UK government to make that sort of decision before we can give businesses any certainty? This is the impossible position the UK government has put us in,” she added.
The UK government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Confirmation of the delay comes after Yousaf on Monday said it would be “extremely difficult” to carry out the plan despite opposition from London.
The Scottish Retail Consortium, a trade body, said the decision would have “serious implications” for the investment companies have made to prepare the programme, which had been “plagued by a rush to unattainable dates”.
https://www.ft.com/content/82c33dc7-1bf5-493b-af07-3e1de75fb308
—————————————————-