Bottle return scheme problems reported months before UK rejection – BBC News

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Scotland’s beleaguered recycling scheme was fraught with problems months before the UK government halted it, a report has shown.

Minister Lorna Slater later said she had no choice but to delay the deposit return scheme (DRS) until 2025 because UK ministers had excluded glass.

But the Scottish government’s review from March said the DRS was not ready for its original launch date in August.

It said problems had led to “a severe lack of confidence” in the scheme.

The Scottish government said it had acted quickly to implement the report’s recommendations.

When it is introduced, the DRS will see a 20p charge placed on drinks containers which will be refunded to consumers when they return the bottles and cans, in a bid to increase recycling levels.

Larger stores, shopping centres and community hubs will operate reverse vending machines for people to return their containers.

Originally due to launch in August this year, it has now been delayed twice and is expected to run at the same time as other UK schemes.

These delays have led to the collapse of Circularity Scotland – the private company responsible for operating the DRS – which has now appointed administrators.

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