SEPA highlights change in waste regulations

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is promoting the upcoming changes, which will come into force from January 1 2014, in partnership with a number of agencies including Zero Waste Scotland.

Together they have raised awareness with more than 600 businesses, while SEPA has also engaged extensively with local authorities to develop a consistent approach to implementing the legislation.

The measures will see every business have a legal duty to segregate recyclable materials, including metal, plastic, paper, card and glass under the Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012.

Passed on May 9 2012, the regulations will ensure food businesses in urban areas producing over 50kg of food waste per week will also have to implement food recycling schemes through the use of dedicated waste bins.

They will also ensure any dense plastics have been removed from residual municipal waste prior to incineration, and enforce a ban on biodegradable municipal waste going to landfill from 1 January 2021.

The regulations are part of the Scottish Governments target to recycle 70% of all waste by 2025, in a bid to become one of the most resource efficient nations in Europe.

Regulations

Adrian Bond, national operations waste unit manager from SEPA said: The new regulations are a key part of Scotland’s ambitious journey to zero waste and, over the last year, we have seen significant progress by individual producers and waste service providers to engage in recycling. This critical activity has already led to investments and innovation which will lead to long term benefits for both the environment and the economy.

Recycling is fast becoming a mainstream part of life, whether at home or at work, and the ongoing preparation for 2014 demonstrates the country’s commitment to managing Scotlands material resources in a much more cost-effective and efficient way.

SEPA is a non-departmental body and environment regulator that employs over 1,300 staff. Over the coming months, it will continue the programme of engagement with businesses to provide advice and encourage business owners to contact their waste service provider in order to start preparing for the coming changes.