Question reference: S6W-01790
- Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 22 July 2021
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Current status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 16 August 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in providing a policy framework to support local government in delivering the commitments that are set out in the Scotland Household Recycling Charter that has been agreed with COSLA.
Answer
Across Scotland in 2019 households once again recycled more than they sent to landfilI, and the whole-life carbon impact of Scotland’s household waste reached its lowest level since official recording began. There is however still work to be done to reduce waste further and increase recycling.
31 of 32 Scottish local authorities are now signed up to the Scottish Household Recycling Charter. Last year’s Programme for Government committed to evaluate the Charter with COSLA, and review its Code of Practice to ensure it reflects current best practice and makes it easier for households to recycle the right things.
This will ensure the Code of Practice will evolve in line with best practice and developments across the waste and recycling sector, including the introduction of our ambitious Deposit Return Scheme, and other Extended Producer Responsibility schemes.
Scottish Government are currently working with COSLA and SOLACE to complete the review of the Code Of Practice. A consultation on proposed changes is planned for the autumn.
To support local authorities to align recycling services with the charter, we have launched a new £70 million fund to improve recycling infrastructure, one of the largest single investments in recycling in Scotland. We have also committed to developing a new route map to achieve our ambitious 2025 waste and recycling targets.