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Policy

Managing waste

From
Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy
Directorate
Environment and Forestry Directorate
Topic
Environment and climate change
Policy actions  1 of 5

Resource efficiency

In Making Things Last: a circular economy strategy for Scotland we set out how we aim to move Scotland towards a more circular economy through using resources more efficiently, reducing waste, encouraging re-use and increasing recycling.

Through Zero Waste Scotland programme Resource Efficient Scotland we are supporting businesses, third sector and public sector organisations to boost productivity by using energy, materials and water more efficiently.

We support the European Commission's vision that all plastic packaging should be easily recycled or reusable by 2030.

Circular economy

A circular economy is one where products and materials are kept in high-value use for as long as possible. Moving Scotland towards a more circular economy will benefit:

  • the environment, by cutting waste and carbon emissions and reducing reliance on scarce resources
  • the economy, by improving productivity and resilience and opening new markets
  • communities, by providing more lower-cost options for accessing the good we need, with opportunities for social enterprise

Packaging extended producer responsibility

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a tried-and-tested method to make producers responsible for the environmental impacts of their products. It shifts the cost of managing household packaging waste from taxpayers and local authorities to those businesses who use and supply the packaging, and, in turn, producers are incentivised to make more sustainable design choices.

In partnership with the other UK governments, we have been working to introduce packaging EPR (pEPR), which will come into effect in 2025. PackUK, the scheme administrator for pEPR, launched on 21 January 2025. PackUK will oversee the pEPR programme. 

Under Packaging EPR, producers will contribute £1.3 billion (UK-wide) to local authorities. This funding will support the efficient and effective collection and disposal of household packaging waste. Additionally, the scheme will include measures to incentivise producers to use packaging that has a lower environmental impact. 

Hosted by Defra, on behalf of Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, PackUK will manage the pEPR scheme to deliver value for money for both producers and consumers. The scheme also aims to protect the environment by reducing harmful packaging waste and improving recycling rates across the UK. The introduction of pEPR is a vital step towards achieving a circular economy.

You can find out more about pEPR scheme on the UK Government’s website.

The following documents outline the EPR development process:

A new Code of Practice on sampling and reporting at materials facilities has been introduced to support data collection for EPR for packaging. Requirements under the new code will start from 1 April 2025. 

Single-use materials

Single-use materials such as disposable coffee cups and plastic straws represent an extremely inefficient use of resources.

While some single-use items are more recyclable than others, rather than displace activity into alternative single-use materials we aim to shift behaviour in Scotland away from single-use materials completely.

We have taken the lead in this by banning single-use hot drinks cups in all Scottish Government buildings, which will prevent 450,000 cups being thrown away per year.

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