Pioneering new scheme to encourage recycling in Highlands
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Nearly 486,000 plastic bottles could be kept out of the environment in the Highland council area, thanks to a pioneering new scheme that will encourage people to recycle more and litter less.
Figures published by environmental body Zero Waste Scotland reveal the scale of plastic bottle dumping in the Highlands – and how it will be reduced by Scotland’s forthcoming deposit return scheme.
Under the scheme, shoppers will pay a 20p deposit when buying drinks purchased in single-use plastic or glass bottles and aluminium or steel cans. People will get their money back when they return their empty container for recycling.
That 20p will give people an extra incentive to recycle their empty bottles and cans, and make people think twice about dropping them.
The new figures show that:
• People in the Highland council area go through close to 30 million plastic bottles every year
• An estimated 539,600 plastic bottles are littered in Highland each year
With a 20p incentive not to throw away your empties, Zero Waste Scotland anticipates a 90 per cent reduction in litter for the materials included in the scheme. This would mean close to 486,000 fewer plastic bottles dropped in Highland each year.
With plastic bottles only one of the materials included in the scheme, the overall impact on litter is expected to be even higher.
Jill Farrell, Chief Operating Officer, Zero Waste Scotland said: “Our new figures reveal how Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme could visibly slash the number of littered plastic bottles in the Highlands.
“We all hate seeing empty bottles and cans littering our streets, green spaces and beaches. The great thing about Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme is it will give people a 20p incentive to do the right thing with their empty bottles – take them back for recycling, rather than risk them ending up on our streets or in our rivers.
“Litter isn’t just an eyesore – it also pollutes our environment and seas. And for every bottle littered, more plastic has to be created, generating more planet-damaging emissions. When you take back your empty bottles to be recycled, you’ll not just be getting your 20p back – you’ll be doing your bit in the fight against the climate emergency.”
The following materials are covered by the scheme:
• PET plastic bottles (like most fizzy drinks and water bottles)
• Steel and aluminium cans
• Glass bottles
All types of drinks in these containers and all containers between 50 ml and 3 litres in size are included.
Across Scotland, wherever people can buy a drink in a container made from one of these materials they will also be able to return it to reclaim the deposit. Online retailers will also be included in the scheme, ensuring it’s accessible to people that are dependent on online delivery.
The Scottish Government is expected to introduce legislation to enable the scheme later this year.
For more information about Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme, visit www.depositreturn.scot
