UK ministers reject deposit return scheme glass rethink

UK ministers have rejected Humza Yousaf's request for them to rethink their decision to exclude glass from Scotland's deposit return scheme.

The first minister wrote to Rishi Sunak warning that the scheme would be in "grave danger" without glass included.

The UK government has replied saying it had given the Scottish government a "practical solution to proceed" with cans and plastic bottles only.

A Scottish cabinet decision on whether to go ahead is expected on Tuesday.

Last week, the UK government approved a partial exemption to the Internal Market Act for the deposit scheme, but stipulated glass could not be part of it.

The firm set up to run deposit return, Circularity Scotland, said the scheme is still viable without glass.

England, Wales and Northern Ireland originally consulted on a scheme that would include glass.

The Welsh government still wants to do that but the UK government has changed its mind.

Mr Yousaf said he "would struggle to see how the scheme could go ahead if it doesn't include glass" and formally asked the UK government for a rethink.

Replying for the prime minister, cabinet ministers Michael Gove, Alister Jack and Therese Coffey said they want to make sure that any Scottish scheme works in the same way as what's being planned for the rest of the UK.

In their letter to Mr Yousaf, the UK ministers said: "Interoperability of schemes across the whole UK ensures all manufacturers, whether in Clydebank, Carlisle, Cardiff, or Carrickfergus, have the same access to sell their products across the UK internal market.

"The exclusion of glass also ensures consumer choice is not restricted in Scotland, given the risk that differences in scope would have led to some producers choosing not to supply Scotland through online or physical sales.

"There is nothing to prevent you from proceeding with your own scheme next March, on the basis that it would form part of a UK-wide solution to protect our shared market and increase recycling from 2025."

Mr Yousaf has already said he would not put Scottish businesses at a competitive disadvantage.

That's what the brewer behind Tennent's lager, C&C group has warned would happen to their canned product if deposit charges are not also applied to glass bottles.

C&C has expressed a preference for a UK-wide approach to deposit return.

If it goes live as planned in March 2024, the deposit return scheme would see a 20p charge placed on drinks containers which would be refunded to consumers upon their return in a bid to increase recycling levels.

Circularity Scotland said a target of 90% for the remelting and reuse of glass would rise to 95% once the scheme was launched.

Circularity Scotland's programme director, Donald McCalman told the BBC "we absolutely believe the scheme is viable to launch" with aluminium and plastic containers only.

Mr McCalman said that if it was not delivered in Scotland it could make drinks producers think twice about backing a later UK-wide scheme.

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