Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme has been delayed until March 2024. It was intended to go live from August this year.

Listening to serious concerns raised by small producers and MSPs, including his own back benchers, FM Humza Yousaf made the announcement in Parliament in his ‘Fresh Start’ speech to the Chamber.

“I remain committed to this Scheme as a way to increase recycling, to reduce litter on our streets and on our beaches and help achieve our net zero ambitions.

“But we recognise the uncertainty that continues to be created as a result of the UK Government delaying the decision to exclude the scheme from the Internal Market Act. We had hoped for a decision on that this week – but it has not come.”

The delay has had a mixed response.

Friends of the Earth Scotland have called it a blow to the Scottish Environment: Kim Pratt, circular economy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said:

“This delay marks a shameful breaking of promises which will ultimately be paid for by the people of Scotland and the environment. Over 70% of people in Scotland support the deposit return scheme, but the First Minister has decided to put corporate interests and politics before people and the planet.

“The repeated delays by the Scottish Government to deliver this scheme are as damaging as doing nothing. Companies have had five years to prepare, and the majority of them are ready to go as planned in August.

“We are living in a climate emergency, and this simple scheme should be an exciting bit of progress. It’s a concerning start to Humza Yousaf’s leadership.”

Constituency MSP, Liam McArthur, LibDem, has said the delay means that ‘sense has prevailed He said:

“It is vital that Ministers now sit down with producers, retailers and other businesses with a direct interest in DRS to work through the many outstanding issues. Only then can we have confidence that the failings of this poorly-designed scheme will be addressed.

“Evidence shows that deposit return schemes can deliver real benefits in reducing waste, litter and emissions. Countries around the world have successfully introduced schemes without issue, begging the question why this SNP-Green government has made such a shambles of delivering DRS here in Scotland.”

However conservation groups are not happy. Calum Duncan, head of conservation Scotland at Marine Conservation Society, said:

“Bottles and cans were littered on 95% of Scottish beaches cleaned and surveyed by our volunteers in 2022. We’re disappointed that, yet again, Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme will be delayed. We know deposit return schemes have huge potential to turn the tide on this kind of pollution, for the benefit of both people and the planet. Scotland’s seas cannot, and should not, be paying the price for our waste.”

Mark Ruskell MSP, the Scottish Green Party Environment Spokesperson has expressed their deep frustration at the delay but has pointed the finger of blame very squarely at the UK Tory Government. The Scottish Greens are in a power sharing agreement with the SNP and hold two junior Ministerial posts in the Scottish Government. Mark Ruskell said:

“First Minister Humza Yousaf today announced a six month pause in the launch of the Deposit Return Scheme. This decision was made in partnership with our Green minister and co-leader Lorna Slater, who has responsibility for delivering the scheme as Minister for Circular Economy.

“Under the undemocratic Internal Market Act – which gives the UK Government a veto over a huge range of policy areas – the Scottish Government is required to apply for an exemption to deliver schemes like the DRS.

“The process for securing this exemption has been underway for years – but at a meeting of the Inter-Ministerial group just this week, the UK Government failed once again to agree to one, or even give a date when the exemption will be received.

“The scheme cannot continue without this exemption, which has significantly impacted on industry’s confidence that the scheme would proceed as planned in August.

“We are deeply frustrated at this delay, but let us be clear that it is the deliberate inaction of the UK Government which is driving it, not any failure on the part of the scheme.”

This explanation has not appeased environmentalists. Dr Kat Jones, director of APRS (The Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland), which is running the Have You Got The Bottle? campaign based in Edinburgh, said:

“Yet another delay to Scotland’s deposit return system should send a chill down the spine of everyone who understands the environmental crisis we face. Both the Scottish and UK governments need to get their act together if a third delay is not to become a fourth or worse.”

Humza Yousaf was setting out his stall for leading the Scottish Government with ‘A Fresh Start’. He said the programme would be deliverable. He said it would be centred on three key missions for three years of governance, ” on the principles of equality, opportunity and community – require us to tackle poverty; to build a fair, green and indeed a growing economy; and to improve our public services. They will be central to our efforts, over the next three years, to improve the lives of the people of Scotland.”

On the delayed Deposit Return Scheme he said:

“I remain committed to this Scheme as a way to increase recycling, to reduce litter on our streets and on our beaches and help achieve our net zero ambitions.

“But we recognise the uncertainty that continues to be created as a result of the UK Government delaying the decision to exclude the scheme from the Internal Market Act. We had hoped for a decision on that this week – but it has not come.

“At the same time, I – and the Circular Economy Minister – have heard the concerns of business, particularly about the scheme’s readiness for launch this August.

“As a result, we will now delay the launch of the scheme to the 1st of March 2024. This provides 10 months for businesses to get ready.

“We will use that additional time to work with businesses, and Circularity Scotland, to address concerns with the scheme and ensure a successful launch next year.

“We have also developed a package of measures to simplify and de-risk the scheme, and to support small businesses and hospitality in particular.

“The Circular Economy Minister will provide further details to Parliament this week on this package, of the new timetable, and our engagement with the UK Government over the critical decisions now that we need them to make to allow the scheme to proceed in terms of that exemption of the Internal Market Act.”

Fiona Grahame