Senior nationalist hails banish the bottles plan
Deposit scheme is a total ‘no-brainer’, says former Environment Secretary
A FORMER Environment Secretary has urged SNP ministers to show some ‘vision’ and introduce a radical scheme that could help ‘Banish the Bottles’ from Scotland’s streets, countryside and beaches.
Richard Lochhead called on his successor, Roseanna Cunningham, to press ahead with a deposit-return scheme (DRS) on bottles and cans to tackle the country’s ‘waste mountains’.
His comments came after the Scottish Daily Mail this week launched a campaign calling for a charge of up to 10p on all bottles and cans – which would be refunded when the container is returned to collection points in shops, supermarkets and public areas.
His intervention adds to the pressure on the Scottish Government to go ahead with the scheme, which is already used in 17 countries around the world and has helped boost recycling rates.
Mr Lochhead, who served as Environment Secretary for nine years under Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon until last May, told the Mail: ‘I think it is a no-brainer. We have to work out how it works in Scotland but there is no doubt that a deposit and return scheme could help clear up our environment and make us all think twice before we throw away empty bottles.
‘We need vision for tackling Scotland’s waste mountains, including our streets and beaches. It is difficult to see any other option on the table that is as transformational as deposit-return schemes as far as bottles and cans are concerned.
‘Just as the plastic bag levy made a big difference overnight, so would this scheme. If we introduced it to boost recycling and clean up our environment I have no doubt that future generations would look back and wonder why it took us so long to go ahead with this. You have got to be bold.’
He is the most senior figure in the SNP to back the proposal, which aims to tackle the blight of the 130,000 bottles and cans dumped in Scotland every day. Several other Nationalist MSPs are known to support the campaign, which is run by the Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland (APRS).
The Mail revealed on Wednesday that a bottle, can or lid has been discovered on average every 10ft on Scotland’s beaches. When he was Environment Secretary, Mr Lochhead instructed Zero Waste Scotland to commission detailed research on whether a DRS could work in Scotland. The resulting report, published by the Eunomia waste reduction firm, concluded that this would provide ‘clear’ benefits – while any concerns could be ‘quite readily overcome’.
It concluded: ‘Based on this evidence, we hope to see the Scottish Government pressing forward with plans for a DRS for beverage containers, which could serve as a model for other parts of the UK.’
Yesterday, the Mail revealed that Holyrood’s environment committee has set up a special taskforce to investigate the idea.
Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens have also backed the campaign, while the Conservatives say they will consider a range of measures to tackle the problem.
Mr Lochhead said: ‘It’s time for us to decide whether we’re prepared to do something about the fact that Scotland’s streets, parks and beaches are clogged with empty cans and bottles.
‘I will urge colleagues of all parties to be bold and work together to bring in a DRS that works well for the public, for business, and for our local authorities. Introducing it won’t be easy but anything bold and transformational never is.’
The SNP manifesto for last year’s Scottish elections said a DRS could ‘increase the amount of high quality material being brought forward for recycling and help to reduce litter’.
The APRS petition states: ‘Scotland was ahead of the curve on the plastic bag charge, and this is the obvious next step. With a DRS for Scotland we can not only help tackle our litter problem, but also set a good example to the rest of the UK.’
A Government spokesman said: ‘The Scottish Government is considering the benefits and drawbacks of a DRS. Such a scheme has the potential to reduce litter and improve recycling, but other factors must be taken into consideration.
‘These include the impact on small stores with limited space, costs to retailers, and the impact on local authority kerbside collections.’
Marine litter, including bottles and cans, kills one million sea birds and 100,000 marine mammals every year. Eunomia estimates 744million plastic bottles and 674million cans are sold in Scotland every year.
Based on its figures, around 60,000
plastic bottles and 70,000 cans are littered every day. APRS director John Mayhew, said: ‘The evidence from around the world is clear: deposit-return systems just work. For too long this country has had a growing litter problem, in our cities, our countryside, our beaches and in our seas.
‘It might seem surprising that a small fully refundable deposit would make such a difference, but we know from the experience of the carrier bag charge that changes of this sort are popular and effective.
‘This one simple measure would help tackle litter, boost jobs, and help keep local councils’ costs down. If the Government goes ahead with it, we will very quickly see results which ministers can be truly proud of.’
Paxman: Why I back the Mail – Page 15