DRS can proceed without glass, says Circularity Scotland

Scotland and the UK cannot afford to lose the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), Circularity Scotland has said, contradicting contradicted first minister Humza Yousaf's claim the scheme would not be viable if glass is excluded.

Circularity Scotland, the administrator of the country's (DRS), claims the scheme has become “mired” in political differences which have obscured the environmental and financial benefits of DRSs.

Approximately, £300 million has been invested in Scotland’s scheme by drinks producers, retailers and businesses delivering the scheme’s infrastructure. Circularity Scotland also says that more than 650 jobs are being created across its organisation and partners.

Circularity Scotland claims the scheme – which will see a 20p deposit added to drinks containers to be refunded when they are returned empty – is crucial to Scotland’s commitment to climate change targets and will remove “hundreds of millions” of bottles and cans from streets, beaches and green spaces.

The scheme administrator has also insisted that a Scottish pilot DRS, which is then scaled up, is the logical path to delivering “an interoperable pan-UK scheme”.

Circularity Scotland insists the groundwork is in place for the scheme to still go live as planned on 1 March 2024 without glass, and must form the pilot for deposit return elsewhere in the UK.

Chief Executive David Harris, commented: “I am disappointed at how the laudable aims of this scheme and its environmental and business benefits have become the target of negativity and misinformation. The scheme we have built for the people of Scotland brings together proven best practice from around the world.

“The Scottish Government has highlighted that the removal of glass from the scheme changes the economic model of the scheme and the breadth of the environmental benefits it will provide.

“However, there would be a risk to jobs and investment if the scheme does not go ahead for cans and plastic, not to mention the ongoing environmental impact we will see from too many of these containers continuing to end up as waste.

“We therefore ask everyone to get behind the scheme and we will continue to share our knowledge, expertise and innovation with our partners across the UK as they plan and develop their schemes."

Circularity Scotland Ltd. is a not-for-profit private company. Its members include Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, AG Barr, Heineken and Tennent Caledonian. Circularity Scotland says the companies committed to the establishment of a DRS in Scotland to address the litter and environmental issues caused by their packaging.

The statement comes amid reports that Scottish government's DRS could be scrapped after Westminster refused to give the green light for glass to be included.