Campaigners urge Scottish ministers to set targets for refillable and reusable containers

The Scottish Government is being urged to set targets for refillable and reusable products in new legislation that aims to help build a greener economy.

Environmental campaigners at Action to Protect Rural Scotland (APRS) said the Circular Economy Bill could “drive real change” – but they stressed “tinkering around the edges of our throwaway economy won’t go far enough”.

APRS director Kat Jones spoke out on the issue as a new report from ocean advocacy organisation Oceana indicated a 10% increase in reusable beverage containers across the globe by 2030 could prevent 153 billion single-use bottles and cups from entering the world’s oceans and waterways.

It highlighted how in the Philippines, 40% of the volume of pre-packed soft drinks are sold in reusable bottles.

Until the end of 2015, Irn-Bru manufacturers AG Barr operated a refill scheme which ran for 110 years, allowing customers to return their empty bottles for reuse and receive 30p.

Under that scheme, bottles were sanitised, refilled, and then placed back on supermarket shelves for sale.

Matt Littlejohn, Oceana’s senior vice-president, argued switching to reusable and refillable containers is a better option than making single-use items out of recycled plastics.

He said: “We’ve estimated that a stack of the single-use plastic packaging used by the beverage sector in 2022 alone could reach all the way to the sun and back.

“Adding recycled content to bottles and cups won’t topple this single-use plastic tower. The way to really make a difference is to replace single-use plastic with reusable packaging.

“We need companies and governments to stop betting on the wrong horse with recycling and to prioritise the expansion and re-establishment of reusable packaging systems instead.

“By switching to this real circular solution, we can drastically reduce the amount of plastic waste that ends up in our oceans, in the bellies of whales and turtles, and washed up on our beaches.”

Dr Jones said: “The Circular Economy Bill is our chance to drive real change which is drastically needed in Scotland.

“Tinkering around the edges of our throwaway economy won’t go far enough. We need proven solutions that shift the needle, making Scotland circular and sustainable.

“Refillables are the low-hanging fruit here, they reduce litter in our towns, countryside, and waterways and offer a clear path to reducing waste.

“Other countries have shown that this is possible and effective. Now it’s Scotland’s turn to step up, introduce reuse schemes, and tackle waste at the source.”

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “We want to create a circular economy, in which resources are kept in use for as long as possible. This is not just good for the environment – it will also create new economic opportunities and green jobs here in Scotland.

“The Scottish Government’s Circular Economy Bill will establish the legislative framework to support that. The Bill is also expected to bring benefits to local authorities, for example as a result of less contamination of recycling, and savings made through waste collection and disposal costs, including reduced litter costs.

“As with all enabling legislation, the details will be set out in future regulations, which will be subject to further consultation, parliamentary scrutiny and economic impact assessments.”