The Background
Scotland will be the first country in the UK to introduce a deposit return scheme for drinks containers. Zero Waste Scotland advised the Scottish Government on the design.
We've been exploring the evidence for a deposit return scheme in Scotland for several years. Here's some of the history of the project.
Scotland has a history of introducing successful recycling, waste reduction and circular economy initiatives, from the carrier bag charge to ensuring that more household waste is recycled than sent to landfill.
Now, Scotland will be the first country in the UK to introduce a deposit return scheme for drinks containers. We’ve created a visual timeline that shows Scotland’s journey towards a deposit return scheme.
We have completed a range of research and evaluation projects which have helped inform decisions that helped create the design for Scotland's Deposit Return Scheme.
We've also provided links to selected work from other organisations.
Deposit return evidence summary
Summary: Deposit return scheme for Scotland call for evidence responses
Deposit return system feasibility study
Scottish Government consultation results
Deposit Systems for One-Way Beverage Containers: Global Overview (2016)