Disappointment as Scotland suggests delay to much-needed deposit return scheme

Keep Britain Tidy calls for Westminster to take the lead as Scottish Government looks likely to renege on manifesto commitment

The news today that the Scottish Government is likely to delay the launch of its deposit return scheme (DRS) is a disaster for the environment.

It is estimated that every day the scheme is delayed north of the border an additional 140,000 cans and bottles will be littered.

Keep Britain Tidy has been campaigning for a comprehensive DRS scheme for England that includes all sizes of cans and bottles and all materials, including glass and aluminium, and is now calling on the government in Westminster to step up, take the lead and introduce a world-beating scheme.

The charity’s Chief Executive Allison Ogden-Newton OBE said: “This news is so incredibly disappointing, coming just days after COP26, when the eyes of those looking for leadership on the environment were focused on Scotland.

“The date of July 2022 was already 15 months later than originally proposed by Scottish Ministers in 2019. It was also almost five years after the First Minister committed to DRS in Scotland and 13 years after the Scottish Parliament gave ministers the powers to introduce such a scheme.

“Now it is time for the Prime Minister and the Westminster government to demonstrate its leadership when it comes to ‘building back greener’ and be the first government within the UK to introduce a comprehensive, all-in DRS that, if done right, will see 90% of plastic bottles and cans – which make up three quarters of litter in this country by volume – being recycled rather than polluting our streets, parks, beaches and oceans.”