DEPOSIT RETURN SCHEME

SUSTAINABILITY: INDUSTRY ADVISORY GROUP

DRS PREPARATIONS STEP UP A GEAR

WITH SCOTLAND’S DEPOSIT RETURN SCHEME SET TO GO LIVE IN JULY 2022, PREPARATIONS AREBEGINNING TO MOVE UP A GEAR AS THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT APPOINTS MEMBERS OF ITSINDUSTRY ADVISORY GROUP.

The implementation of Scotland’s new Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) on 1 July 2022 may seem like a long way away but there is still a huge amount of work to be done to get the industry and shoppers ready for what will be a huge challenge.

The coronavirus pandemic has unsurprisingly thrown a spanner in the works of the preparations, leading to a postponement of the go-live date, which was originally scheduled for April 2021.

The Scottish Government has, however, now begun inviting industry bodies and organisations to become members of its Industry Advisory Group which will help develop the crucial retailers exemption framework. Among those invited to join is the Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF).

Dr John Lee, SGF Head of Public Affairs, said: “We are very glad to accept the invitation to be a key member of the advisory group. The real impact of Deposit Return for retailers in Scotland is beginning to move closer. The DRS regulations, approved earlier this year by the Scottish Parliament, state that the exemptions process will go live in January 2021.” There are two main criteria for exemptions.

These will be:

Proximity to another return point

If a retailer can show there is no reasonable way to operate a return point on their premises without being in breach of legal obligations such as food safety.

DRS will simply not be workable for many retailers and they must have the option of taking an exemption.

The advisory group will provide expertise and advice from a range of backgrounds to support the Scottish Government in developing an assessment policy that will ensure fair and consistent assessment of exemption applications in line with the DRS Regulations.

“DRS will simply not be workable for many retailers and they must have the option of taking an exemption,” says Lee. “The process has to be fair, consistent and transparent. The application process goes live in January and we have to get ready for it now.”

The group will be chaired by the Scottish Government and secretariat support will be provided by the Scottish Government’s Circular Economy Unit. Representatives of Zero Waste Scotland and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency will attend as observers.