THE Scottish Government has assembled a team of key stakeholders to provide advice on DRS implementation.
Launched at Highland Spring’s Blackford facility, the Deposit Return Scheme Implementation Advisory Group has been tasked with providing industry input and guidance to help deliver DRS effectively.
Members of the group include the British Soft Drinks Association, Scottish Grocer’s Federation, Scottish Wholesale Association, Scottish Retail Consortium and the Natural Hydration Council (NHC) – which represents bottled water brands.
Scottish Government environment secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: “This new group will provide expert advice on practical issues related to the implementation and operation of the scheme in Scotland, with a specific focus on system administration, procurement, fraud prevention and social benefits. The group will also consider how the scheme will interact with the consumer, and productio, retail and hospitality industries, which will be key to success.
“Not only will deposit return be an effective way of increasing recycling rates and reducing litter, it will also increase the quality of recycled materials collected in Scotland, which could be a benefit to industry based here.”
Les Montgomery, chief executive of Highland Spring Group – a founding member of the NHC said: “DRS will create a circular economy for drinks packaging, where the material is captured, recycled and returned as another bottle or can. All PET plastic bottles and cans are 100% recyclable and through the introduction of a deposit return scheme we can make it easier for consumers to ensure they are recycled.”
Zero Waste Scotland chief executive Iain Gulland said: “Scotland’s deposit return scheme is a chance to dramatically increase the recycling rate for the two billion drinks containers in circulation in the country. Making that happen will require the support and expertise of the people that produce and sell those drinks, and we’re pleased to have the involvement of representatives from across a range of sectors.”
