Scottish strategy targets food waste and producer responsibility

But, it is yet to be decided whether the target will be voluntary or binding.

The proposal is included in Scotland’s ‘Making Things Last’ Circular Economy Strategy published today (February 23) which outlines how it will adhere with wider waste and recycling targets adopted by the European Commission.

Launch of the food waste target coincided with EU Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella’s visit to Edinburgh, where he met with Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead who has spearheaded the plans.

Elsewhere, the strategy is set to explore the potential for reform of the producer responsibility system to incentivise the use of products with increased durability or with recycled content. The Scottish Government has also pledged to explore the possibility of a ‘single framework’ for producer responsibility – bringing together common elements of existing regimes.

The Circular Economy Strategy, together with Scotland’s Manufacturing Action Plan, will be supported via a £70 million programme of investment including £30 million from the European Regional Development Fund.

Food

Under Scotland’s existing Zero Waste Strategy, businesses producing more than 5kg of food waste per week are already required to present the material for separate collection, while biodegradable municipal waste is due to banned from landfill from 2020.

The Government claims that its 33% food waste reduction target, which was floated following a period of consultation last year (see letsrecycle.com story), will put it at the front of global prevention efforts and in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 12 target.

According to the report, the potential financial savings from this reduction are likely to be “in the hundreds of millions per year; increasing the Scottish food & drink sector’s competitiveness, offering savings for households across Scotland and cutting greenhouse gas emissions”.

Speaking in October last year, Mr Lochhead claimed that household food waste has decreased by an estimated 37,000 tonnes per year – or 5.7% overall – since 2009, with a reduction of 7.7% overall in avoidable food waste. He estimated the reduction saved households in Scotland £92 million a year.

The strategy states: “We will work with a variety of stakeholders to identify a package of actions to deliver these food waste reductions, and we will consult on whether the target will be voluntary or binding. As an early step, Resource Efficient Scotland will support SMEs to both prevent food waste, and adapt to the new 5kg threshold for separate food waste which came into force in January 2016.”

WRAP

Commenting on the Government’s pledge to influence UK-wide voluntary agreements to ensure they deliver food waste reduction for Scotland, WRAP claimed that the proposed target was “challenging” but “encouraging”.

A WRAP spokesman said: “It’s really encouraging to see the Scottish Government’s strong commitment to tackling food waste. Achieving a 33% reduction is going to be a challenge, so we all need to work collaboratively on this issue. WRAP’s work with the industry under Courtauld Commitment 2025 will have a real role in bringing everyone together to achieve this.”