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

One-Eye

There will be a massive growth in the sales of cartons and pouches as small retailers, especially takeaways, will not want to be forced to be collection points and will stop sales of cans and PET.

Maybe pubs who sell bottled and canned drinks in glasses (and thus won't charge the 20p) could subsequently take them to a collection point elsewhere and claim the refunds. The Scottish Government could then claim that 110% of deposits collected have been returned.

The_Green_Hornet

Would it not be better to just ban the sale of bottled water?

woolythoughts

What about those of us who drink sparkling water? Can't get that out of a tap. Should it be banned?

1961Nick

Bottles & cans already have the highest recycling rates. Wouldn't it be more beneficial to concentrate on improving the recycling rate on plastics which is currently very poor by comparison?

The_Green_Hornet

woolythoughts wrote: »

What about those of us who drink sparkling water? Can't get that out of a tap. Should it be banned?

Too true, but. maybe you could buy a soda syphon and make your own.

mad_rich

chris-j wrote: »

If they can explain to me how this new scheme will be better than current process

One way that the new scheme will be an improvement on doorstep recycling is the end of 'comingling'.

If you've ever seen inside a waste sorting plant, you'll know how much incorrect, dirty or otherwise unsuitable material comes in. Even where the material is clean and correct, as in your bin and mine, it's a lot of work to sort.

Sorting and home, and keeping the streams separate for different materials, is much less work. You're going back to the shop to get more products anyway, so no extra journeys are involved.

I do agree that the person who is currently conscientiously recycling will find the changes more trouble than a person who is currently chucking it in the bin, but it's for the greater good.

mad_rich

Cyclamen wrote: »

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

I would be extraordinarily surprised if the Tesco/ Asda/ Amazon/ Whatever truck didn't take your empties away and credit your bill.

They have a good 18 months to come up with a plan.

mad_rich

FredaJones wrote: »

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.

Why on earth would you do that?

grumbler

1961Nick wrote: »

Bottles & cans already have the highest recycling rates.

So they have in littering the kerbside, footpaths, public golf courses etc.

The_Green_Hornet

mad_rich wrote: »

I would be extraordinarily surprised if the Tesco/ Asda/ Amazon/ Whatever truck didn't take your empties away and credit your bill.

They have a good 18 months to come up with a plan.

But they have very little incentive to do so. Why create extra work for themselves when they profit from not doing so.