- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 2 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of dedicated textile recycling collection services operating across the (a) household and (b) commercial sector.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s Circular Economy & Waste Route Map and 2020 Climate Change Plan update included our commitment to consult on the separate collection of textile waste from households. A consultation was launched on 25 March 2025: Changes to waste management services - Scottish Government consultations - Citizen Space
The consultation will provide evidence and views on how we can prevent textiles becoming waste through more recycling and reuse, including through kerbside collection or measures at Household Waste Recycling Centres. The findings will inform the co-design of the new household recycling Code of Practice and be subject to further policy development with local government and other waste sector stakeholders.
Zero Waste Scotland began research on product stewardship considerations for textiles in Scotland in 2023. The final report will be published in 2025 and will provide a detailed view of textiles material flow across the Scottish value chain, stakeholder insights to required policy interventions and analysis of potential measures that take account of practicality, feasibility and impact.
WRAP is taking action to transform the way that textiles and clothing are bought, used and re-used. They are working with leaders in the UK and globally to develop, share and scale new processes.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 2 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of soft plastics collected in Scotland are recycled in Scotland.
Answer
Household soft plastics are not routinely recycled by Scottish Local Authorities. Data is not collected specifically on soft plastics, but Zero Waste Scotland extrapolate from SEPA annual estimates of the amount of plastic waste generated in Scotland and managed in / out with Scotland in the Waste From All Sources report: Waste (from all sources). It is not possible to break this analysis down into sub-types of plastic waste.
From 2027, all local authorities must collect soft plastic films and flexibles through kerbside recycling programs. This commitment aims to enhance domestic recycling capabilities and reduce reliance on exports.
The Scottish Government remains committed to expanding recycling infrastructure and capabilities, ensuring that more waste is managed and processed within Scotland, thereby creating economic opportunities and environmental benefits for our communities.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 2 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent fire at the Blairlinn industrial estate, what plans it has to conduct a review of safety procedures at waste management and/or recycling centres.
Answer
SEPA is presently awaiting the incident report following the fire at the Blairlinn industrial estate in Cumbernauld.
Therefore, at this time, it would not be appropriate to commit to a review of fire safety procedures at waste management facilities.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 2 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the delivery of the Recycling Improvement Fund once it concludes in 2026.
Answer
The 5-year Recycling Improvement Fund will conclude at the end of 2025-26, at which point the Scottish Government will review the overall Project.
Zero Waste Scotland is completing a series of evaluations of projects funded by the RIF. The first annual Evaluation report for projects that were sufficiently mature to provide data for 2023 will be published in June 2025. Subsequent evaluations using data from 2024 and 2025 are planned and should be published in 2025 and 2026 respectively.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 2 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any recycling facilities that manage soft plastics, and, if so, where they are located.
Answer
Yes, the Scottish Government is aware of recycling facilities that manage soft plastics in Scotland.
We are aware of one sorting facility, Cireco, located in Fife, which collects and sorts soft plastics from households. This was enabled by the award of £470,000 from the Scottish Government’s Recycling Improvement Fund to Fife Council to purchase a ‘Tomra Optical Sorter’, which segregates flexible plastics and plastic film, ready for processing. The majority of this material is recycled within the UK, contributing to the circular economy and reducing reliance on overseas processing.
In addition to household soft plastics, there is currently one plant processing farm plastics in Scotland — Berry BPI Recycling located in Dumfries and Galloway. This facility plays a key role in handling agricultural plastics and supports the sector’s environmental commitments.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 2 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to be able to meet its (a) 2013 and (b) 2020 household recycling target.
Answer
Scotland has made significant progress in reducing waste, increasing recycling and decarbonising the waste sector, but there is further work to be done. The Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024 and Circular Economy & Waste Route Map set out Scottish Government plans to introduce a statutory Code of Practice for household waste services to accelerate improvements to both the quality and quantity of recycling.
The Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024 also includes our commitment to determine new circular economy targets for Scotland to support our work to reduce emissions to tackle the climate emergency.
The overall recycling rate in Scotland of 62.3% in 2022 is at its highest level since records began in 2011. In 2023 the household recycling rate was 43.5%.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will (a) publish its review of the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Act 2020 and (b) outline its next steps to improve the welfare of dogs.
Answer
The Review of the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers)(Scotland) Act 2020 was published on 4 April. In that review we committed to consult on prohibiting the use of remote control static pulse training collars. We are currently working to regulate the activities of the canine facility sector. We are also developing a Code of Practice that will ensure the transparent and safe transfer of ownership of any puppy and dog, as required under the Welfare of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2025.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the finding in the Marine Conservation Society 2024 report, State of our Beaches, which records that drinks-related litter was found on 95% of the beaches surveyed.
Answer
The Scottish Government thanks the Marine Conservation Society and all the many volunteers for their excellent work in monitoring beach litter and cleaning our shores. Citizen science is valued, and in combination with data from our scientists and our wider international monitoring programme, it is useful in helping us prioritise policy development to effectively reduce marine litter.
Drinks related litter on our shores is entirely avoidable, and that is why we remain committed to the delivery of a successful Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for single-use drinks containers. This scheme is expected to increase recycling rates for these containers to at least 90% and reduce litter on our beaches while supporting the growth of a more circular economy.
We are working closely with industry and the other UK government to launch a DRS in October 2027.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the finding in the Marine Conservation Society 2024 report, State of our Beaches, which records that over 22,000 wet wipes were found on the beaches surveyed and, in light of this, whether it will provide an update on what progress it has made towards a ban on the supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic.
Answer
The Scottish Government thanks the Marine Conservation Society and their volunteers for their considerable efforts in gathering the data within the State of Our Beaches 2024 report, and also removing beach litter during these surveys. Their citizen science is vital in helping us prioritise future policy and legislation development.
We recognise that marine litter is an important national and international problem and have prioritised action through the Marine Litter Strategy for Scotland to ensure that the amount of litter entering the marine environment is minimised to bring ecological, economic and social benefits.
We published our refreshed Marine Litter Strategy in September 2022, which sets out a co-ordinated approach to address the amount of litter entering the marine environment, and supports the removal of debris that is already there. The updated strategy contains multiple actions on the most problematic types of marine litter including sewage-related debris and wet wipes. We are working across the four nations to put an end to pollution caused by wet wipes containing plastic, with legislation forthcoming.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the finding in the Marine Conservation Society 2024 report, State of our Beaches, which records that, compared with 2023, there had been an increase of 7.2% in items of litter found on the beaches surveyed.
Answer
The Scottish Government thanks the Marine Conservation Society and all the many volunteers for their excellent work in monitoring beach litter and cleaning our shores. Citizen science is valued, and in combination with data from our scientists and our wider international monitoring programme, it is useful in helping us prioritise policy development to effectively reduce marine litter.
Marine litter is a global challenge and we are working both nationally and internationally to share the development of solutions. We are currently focused on the most problematic of litter items including fishing gear, nurdles, and wet wipes containing plastic. Our work is set out in our Marine Litter Strategy Action Plan, and responsibility for its delivery is shared between the Scottish Government and multiple partners, with progress coordinated through a steering group of which the Marine Conservation Society is a valued member. We are also taking action through our National Litter and Fly-Tipping Strategy to reduce land sources of litter which can make their way into our seas.
It takes time for implemented policies and legislation to begin to be reflected in beach litter levels, such as the ban on plastic-stemmed cotton buds from 2019, and the ban on other single-use items including polystyrene food containers from 2022. With more measures and legislation expected in the future; banning wet wipes containing plastic and a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers, we expect to see these litter levels reduce.
