Scotland to charge 20p deposits on bottles and cans - MSE News

Former_MSE_Naomi

The Scottish Government has today announced plans to charge 20p deposits on bottles and cans, which will be refunded if they're returned, in a bid to increase recycling...

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'Scotland to charge 20p deposits on bottles and cans'

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Owain_Moneysaver

We used to have 20p deposit on Barrs bottles, but there were still piles of them left about the place.

That was in the days when 12 Barrs bottles bought a haggis supper.

MovingForwards

Looks like a potential money earned judging by how many get dumped.

I could be rich in the 12 month trial, depending on the area they run it in!

Reed_Richards

What about cross-border smuggling? You buy a bottle or can in England then smuggle it across the border to Scotland and claim back a 20p deposit that you never paid in the first place.

chris-j

Absolutely crazy idea. At present Scotland have reasonably high recycling rates, if this is introduced householders who already use the recycling bins will either have to take them to deposit return location or take the financial hit (even 5 bottles a fornight would cost £26 annually).
So a £26 additional tax because rather than encourage more recycling from those who don't do it, the Scottish Government decide to force those who already recycle to alter how it is done (in a not very environmentally friendly way) or force them to take a financial hit.


Scottish Government consistently come up with hairbrained ideas, quoting other countries as shining examples. What they do not do is ever give the negative facts. Recycle Deposit Scheme - a success in Germany but lets not mention it has significantly increased use of non-recyclable bottles in Germany.


If they can explain to me how this new scheme will be better than current process - I finish with bottle, I rinse bottle, I take bottle to recycle bin in garden, I put bin out every fortnight.
Now I finish with bottle, I rinse bottle, I put bottle in a bag, I take multiple bottles to supermarket, I queue up to put bottles in machine, when I reach machine it is full or broken, I take bottles back home, I try again a few days later, machine still not working, I put bottles in recycle bin in garden, I put bin out every fortnight, I am £2 poorer - repeat 26 times a year.


Options for those who already recycle is take another financial hit because the Scottish Government love soundbites.
Those who don't recycle might be encourages, but knowing the Scottish Government if they are on benefits they will probably get a top up to cover the deposit tax.


The nostalgic look back at the old glass bottle deposits refers to a time when we did not have recycling collections and quite honestly a glass bottle deposit scheme could still work without any infrastructure changes.


All this scheme will do is line the pockets of directors of the non-profit company which will be set up - No doubt the CEO will be paid a six figure sum requiring a few million deposited bottles before we break even.

FredaJones

Completely agree.

It is wrong that to persuade those do not recycle this government has decided the way forward is to penalise those of us that do.

In fact it might make me cross enough to simply chuck my bottles in the landfill bin rather than the recycling one, given I am to be charged 20p regardless.

System

In other countries, the bottles usually have something on the label.

Reed_Richards wrote: »

What about cross-border smuggling? You buy a bottle or can in England then smuggle it across the border to Scotland and claim back a 20p deposit that you never paid in the first place.

Supermarkets will take them.
I guess neither of you buy food.

chris-j wrote: »

Absolutely crazy idea.

FredaJones wrote: »

Completely agree.

203846930

My dad doesn't buy drinks from shops, he only drinks tap water but he will be returning as many bottles and cans as he can manage, not to save the planet but to get the money.

We live close to a few sports grounds and dad takes me walking there all the time and for anyone that thinks Scotland is good at recycling should take a look at these places after there has been a football match or even just a training session.

Cyclamen

I wonder what will happen to those people who do their shopping by home delivery?

Many people due to health limitations can't get to return points for plastic bottles. Will we just miss out?

There is a chance the people who cant return are from lower incomes (various reasons health, transport etc) and those 20p could be a big difference.

jwil

chris-j wrote: »

Absolutely crazy idea. At present Scotland have reasonably high recycling rates, if this is introduced householders who already use the recycling bins will either have to take them to deposit return location or take the financial hit (even 5 bottles a fornight would cost £26 annually).
So a £26 additional tax because rather than encourage more recycling from those who don't do it, the Scottish Government decide to force those who already recycle to alter how it is done (in a not very environmentally friendly way) or force them to take a financial hit.


Scottish Government consistently come up with hairbrained ideas, quoting other countries as shining examples. What they do not do is ever give the negative facts. Recycle Deposit Scheme - a success in Germany but lets not mention it has significantly increased use of non-recyclable bottles in Germany.


If they can explain to me how this new scheme will be better than current process - I finish with bottle, I rinse bottle, I take bottle to recycle bin in garden, I put bin out every fortnight.
Now I finish with bottle, I rinse bottle, I put bottle in a bag, I take multiple bottles to supermarket, I queue up to put bottles in machine, when I reach machine it is full or broken, I take bottles back home, I try again a few days later, machine still not working, I put bottles in recycle bin in garden, I put bin out every fortnight, I am £2 poorer - repeat 26 times a year.


Options for those who already recycle is take another financial hit because the Scottish Government love soundbites.
Those who don't recycle might be encourages, but knowing the Scottish Government if they are on benefits they will probably get a top up to cover the deposit tax.


The nostalgic look back at the old glass bottle deposits refers to a time when we did not have recycling collections and quite honestly a glass bottle deposit scheme could still work without any infrastructure changes.


All this scheme will do is line the pockets of directors of the non-profit company which will be set up - No doubt the CEO will be paid a six figure sum requiring a few million deposited bottles before we break even.

Don't forget that people won't just be paying the extra for the deposit, the manufacturers also have to pay for the scheme, so it will be 20p plus whatever they decide to put the price up by to cover costs.

Also, this will remove most of the valuable material from the kerbside collections, income from which will be lost to the council, and which is normally used to offset the collection costs. This lost income will only mean increased council tax or more cuts.

jwil

This institute of economic affairs report, published the other day about the proposed England scheme, says that we will be spending £800 million a year to collect recyclables worth just £37million. All on the aim that it will reduce litter. That just seems crazy.
https://iea.org.uk/publications/a-load-of-rubbish-introducing-a-deposit-return-scheme-to-the-uk/


There might be a reduction in bottles in litter, but it's not targeting food packaging, cups, cigarette litter - so where are the savings? The council still have to go out and clean the streets. If there is suddenly £800m floating around, would it not be better using that money to invest in recycling bins in town/city centres, litter collection/wardens, national litter campaigns. All of which will have a bigger impact and actually mean our streets might be cleaner.

This scheme ironically may create more litter as people start digging through bins looking for bottles. I certainly wouldn't appreciate people coming down my road looking through all the recycling bins.