London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Dec 26, 2024

Scottish deposit return scheme could be axed this month

Scottish deposit return scheme could be axed this month

Scotland's deposit return scheme could be axed later this month if UK ministers do not give the go-ahead, the circular economy minister has said.

Lorna Slater said if an exemption from the Internal Markets Act was not confirmed then the Scottish government would have to decide on its future.

The BBC understands the UK is unlikely to reach a decision in this timeframe.

Ms Slater told the Scottish Grocers' Federation that a lack of response could render the scheme "unviable".

The scheme, which is aimed at increasing the number of single-use drinks bottle and cans that are recycled, was due to start in August.

It will now not launch until March of next year.

Ms Slater - the Scottish Green co-leader who has been driving the scheme - said she was still working closely with the UK to make the launch happen.

She said she would know "one way or the other" by the end of the month.

The scheme requires Westminster to grant an exemption to the UK-wide Internal Market Act, given its possible implications for business elsewhere in the UK.

It has faced opposition from many small breweries and distillers.

Bottles and cans could be returned over the counter or through reverse vending machines


It will see 20p added to the price of a single-use drinks container in Scotland, which will be refunded to people who return the container.

Some retailers will accept returns over the counter while larger stores, shopping centres and community hubs will operate automated receiving points known as reverse vending machines.

Circularity Scotland, a not-for-profit company established to administer the scheme, said the ongoing uncertainty was causing a crisis for its future.

Its chief executive David Harris, said: "We have written to the prime minister and first minister to stress the growing urgency around this and make it clear that many millions of pounds and hundreds of jobs are at risk if there is further delay.

"Business and industry have come together to make this a reality, without any cost to the taxpayer.

"However, we now find ourselves caught in a policy vacuum which calls the very future of delivering successful deposit return schemes in the UK into question."

The Scottish Conservatives accused Lorna Slater of "trying to pass the buck" to Westminster.

MSP Maurice Golden said: "When major retailers are calling for a UK-wide approach and smaller ones are still waiting for information about how it will work, she's effectively trying to blackmail the UK government into bailing her out."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Reform UK Declares Itself the 'Real Opposition' Amid Membership Surge
Pope Francis Opens Holy Door at Major Italian Prison
Britain’s ‘Wild West’ of Weight-Loss Jab Promotions Faces Growing Scrutiny
Pope Francis Urges Unprecedented Dialogue Amid Escalating Ukraine-Russia Tensions
Dozens Survive Kazakhstan Passenger Jet Crash Amid Tragedy
Kazakhstan Air Disaster: Dozens Survive as Authorities Probe Fatal Plane Crash
Postal Workers Demand Government Probe Into Royal Mail 'Fake Deliveries' Scandal
Explosion Sinks Russian Cargo Ship Ursa Major in Mediterranean
Mystery Shrouds U.S. Citizen Gene Spector's 15-Year Espionage Sentence in Moscow
Zelenskyy Alleges 3,000 North Korean Casualties in Russian Conflict
North Korea's Unseen Hand: Over 1,000 Troops Suffer Casualties in Ukraine
Discovery of 50,000-Year-Old Baby Mammoth in Siberia Fascinates Scientists
Magdeburg Attack Fuels AfD's Political Momentum Amid Rising Tensions
In Magdeburg, Germany, a man is arrested by the police for declaring, "I am a Christian."
UK News Roundup: London Shooting, Travel Disruptions, and Legal Battles
UK Economy Teeters on Recession's Edge Amid Revised Growth Figures
Australian Man Captured in Ukraine Conflict; Government Seeks Answers
Zelenskyy’s Push for NATO: A High-Stakes Gamble for Eastern European Stability
Slovak Pragmatism or EU Discord: Prime Minister Fico’s Polarizing Moscow Engagement
The Ripple Effects of a Russian Victory in Ukraine: A Global Tectonic Shift
U.S. Government Shutdown Averted by Last-Minute Agreement
Tragedy in Magdeburg: Saudi Doctor's Alleged Terror Attack at German Christmas Market Ignites Global Security Debate
Tragedy Strikes at Magdeburg Christmas Market: Terror Attack Leaves Five Dead
Texas Congresswoman Kay Granger Discovered in Nursing Home Following Six Months of Inaction
Prince William to End Feudal Land Restrictions in Duchy of Cornwall, but Controversies Remain
British police appear unprepared to deal with usual suspects
Russia's Ballistic Blitz on Kyiv Sends Shockwaves Through Global Stability
Multiple Tragedies and Tensions Mark Global Events: A Closer Look
Elon Musk's AfD Endorsement Ignites Controversy from neo-Nazis who accuse the AfD of being what they themselves are
Ukraine Claims Unprecedented Russian Losses: The Truth Behind Wartime Statistics
Federal Reserve Chair Powell: "We are prohibited from owning Bitcoin and are not seeking any changes to that law."
A Democratic congresswoman with blue and black hair is having a meltdown over "President Musk."
A sizable group of unauthorized migrants is traveling through Mexico with the aim of reaching the USA before Trump assumes office.
Beatles Reunion Electrifies London: Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr Ignite O2 Arena with Surprise Performance
Starmer's Envoy Engages Trump Team as UK Seeks Strategic U.S. Partnership
Britain's Retail Rebound Falters as Black Friday Splurge Dissipates
Bank of Japan's Bold Reckoning: A Decade of Unconventional Policy Under Scrutiny
Republican Discord Threatens Government Shutdown Amid Holiday Season
French Retiree Dominique Pellico Convicted for Recruiting 72 Men to Assault Wife Over a Decade
Putin Defends War Strategy as Global Tensions Rise
Putin Claims Progress as Tensions Rise: Conflict in Ukraine Intensifies
Putin's Paradox: Claiming Strength Amidst Sanctions and Isolation
Water as a Weapon: The Contentious Struggle for Survival in Gaza
Syria's Future: A Fight for Democracy or Another Cycle of Oppression?
UK Considers Sending Troops to Ukraine: A Strategic Move or Intensifying The Proxy War?
Renewed ISIS Threat Puts Syria’s Cultural Heritage in Peril
Escalation in Moscow: High-Profile Assassination and International Tensions Intensify
North Korean Troops in Ukraine: A New Cold War Frontier?
Ukraine's Bold Move: High-Stakes Assassination of Russian General in Moscow
Dubai's Technological Leap: Brain Chips and AI Board Members by 2025
×