From July 2022, a 20p deposit will apply each time a single-use drinks container is sold (see letsrecycle.com story).
The motion was passed with the 36 SNP members voting in favour, 16 Conservatives voting against and the 19 Labour and the Liberal Democrats MSPs abstaining.
The deposit is to apply to drinks containers made from PET plastic, aluminium, steel or glass.
Rick Hindley, chief executive of the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro), has long been against the proposals as they stand, and has called for a variable deposit instead of a ‘flat fee’ of 20p.
He told letsrecycle.com after the vote: “The decision comes as no surprise following discussions with the environment committee last week. We expected it to be approved in the final session.
“What was of interest was the result of the vote; there were the abstentions and we had the Conservatives voting against. I’m sure it was not as the SNP hoped it would be.”
“The decision comes as no surprise”
Mr Hindley expressed concerns about the flat rate of the deposit, saying it could cause problems for multipack cans, and about the timing of the decision, with the future economic landscape uncertain in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
However, he said Alupro would work with Defra to ensure the design of the scheme worked for aluminium.
Glass
Representatives from the glass industry also expressed reservations about the decision.
Dave Dalton, chief executive officer of British Glass, the trade association representing the UK glass industry, said: “We were not alone in asking the Scottish Government to delay the DRS regulations until the impact of Covid-19 is known.
“Many businesses, including those part of our industry and supply chain are not in the position to face the additional burden the scheme will place on them.”
Mr Dalton added: “Although we do not believe a DRS is the right solution for glass recycling, we will work with the Scottish Government and the scheme administrator to minimise the damage to the Scottish glass industry and to ensure the highest possible recycling rates to provide the vital quality and quantity of cullet needed for our glass manufacturers.”
Retailers
Worries were also expressed by some retailers that with the focus on operating safely during the coronavirus pandemic it could be difficult to prepare in time for the introduction of the scheme.
“We are now in a very different situation than anyone had imagined last year”
Ewan MacDonald-Russell, head of policy at the Scottish Retail Consortium, the trade association for Scotland’s retailers, told letsrecycle.com: “Scottish retailers are committed to delivering a world class deposit return scheme.
“That is much more achievable after ministers listened to our representations on the operational and logistical challenges of building the infrastructure needed for the scheme; and agreed with our view implementation would take more than two years.
“However, we are now in a very different situation than anyone had imagined last year. Therefore, the Scottish Government will need to keep the regulations under review to ensure the model and timeframe remains in the best interests of Scotland’s economy and environment as we respond to the challenges presented by coronavirus.”
Wholesalers
Wholesalers had urged MSPs to halt the DRS ahead of the final Holyrood vote, having also expressed concerns about the impact of the coronavirus.
Colin Smith is chief executive of the Scottish Wholesale Association, the trade association for Scotland’s food and drink wholesale businesses. He said: “Scotland’s food and drink wholesalers will be bitterly disappointed that the DRS regulations have been passed by parliament rather than being halted and revisited after Covid-19 disruption has dissipated.
“This is meant to be an evidence-based policy but the evidence on which it is built – container numbers, return points, queueing spaces, online food shopping – will have fundamentally changed as business exits Covid-19.
“Wholesalers and others in food and drink are already under intense pressure with some businesses fighting for their very survival – there will be no time or money to spend trying to assist the Scottish Government or a still-to-be formed scheme administrator to set up the DRS.”
Despite his reservations, Mr Smith also welcomed the revised start of July 2022, though he said it may need re-examining in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
A date of 2022 for Scotland’s system will be a year before England’s scheduled date. A second consultation is due later this year on DRS proposals south of the border, and unless there are further delays, a DRS will be introduced in 2023, Defra has stated.
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