Climate change monitoring report 2024

6. Chapter 5: Waste and the Circular Economy

6.1 Part A - Overview of sector

The 2021 annual emissions envelope published in the CCPu for this sector was 1.5 MtCO2e and the outturn emission statistics for this year (published in June 2022) show a position of 1.5 MtCO2e. On the basis of comparing these figures, the sector was within its envelope in 2021.

The CCPu sets out the following four policy outcomes for the sector:

Reduction in waste sent to landfill	On Track	Off Track	Too Early to Say
Total amount of landfilled waste (tonnes)	-	Yes	-
Total amount of biodegradable landfilled waste (tonnes)	Yes	-	-

Reduction in emissions from closed landfill sites	On Track	Off Track	Too Early to Say
Number of closed landfill sites with exploratory landfill gas capture/ flaring	-	Yes	-

A reduction in food waste	On Track	Off Track	Too Early to Say
Household and non-household food waste reduced (tonnes)	-	Yes	-

Reduce waste and establish a more circular economy, where goods and materials are kept in use for longer	On Track	Off Track	Too Early to Say
Total waste generated (tonnes)	Yes	-	-

Just transition and cross economy impacts

We wish to understand and report on the broader just transition and cross-economy impacts of our emissions-reduction activities, in addition to these sector specific policy outcomes and indicators. To do this, in this report we use data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS): Low Carbon Renewable Energy Economy (LCREE) publication. The LCREE data presented in this report is based on survey data of businesses which perform economic activities that deliver goods and services that are likely to help generate lower emissions of greenhouse gases, for example low carbon electricity, low emission vehicles and low carbon services.

The LCREE indicator is narrowly defined and, while useful within its limited scope, does not give us the full picture of the impacts on workforce, employers and communities and progress towards a just transition. Over the next few years, we will work to develop a more meaningful set of success outcomes and indicators aimed at tracking the impacts of our policies on a just transition to net zero.

Sector commentary on progress

While Scotland has already made significant strides in reducing emissions from waste, with a 40% reduction in waste management emissions between 2011-2021, our CCPu recognised that progress needs to be accelerated to deliver our waste reduction and recycling objectives, and to enable us to meet updated waste sector emissions envelopes.

Emissions from the waste management sector are currently around 1.5 million tonnes CO2e per year (2021). We aim to reduce these emissions to 0.9 million tonnes by 2025, and 0.7 million tonnes by 2030.

To achieve this, we must: accelerate action across society to reduce the demand for raw material in products; encourage reuse and repairs through responsible production and consumption; and recycle waste and energy to maximise the value of any waste that is generated, while minimising environmental and climate impacts.

Scotland has made good long-term progress towards reaching these ambitions, and some of our key indicators are on track for delivery. We have made progress in delivering key policy measures set out in our CCPu, and in some places, such as our approach to single use vapes, we have gone further than the CCPu. Overall the total amount of waste going to landfill in Scotland has nearly halved over the past decade (2.4 million tonnes or 23% of all waste generated was sent to landfill in 2022), over 62% of waste was recycled in 2022. In the same reporting year we met our 2025 target to reduce all waste by 15%.

However, based on available information, and analysis from our Circular Economy and Waste Route Map, it is clear that, for some of the CCPu indicators, Scotland is not on track. Circular economy and waste route map to 2030: consultation - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) In some areas we have fallen short, and progress has not been at the pace and scale required. For example, we are off track on our target to reduce food waste, and we have seen a 5% increase (2% per capita) against the 2013 baseline according to the most recent estimate (2021).

It is also important to recognise that our current 2025 waste and recycling targets (which form some of the CCPu indicators) are important milestones, but should not be the end destination. The world has changed since many of these targets were set in 2010, and as the Route Map makes clear, in some cases, our waste and recycling targets are not universally the best indicators to deliver our circular economy, net zero or nature restoration objectives. Many of our existing “all waste” targets are weight-based, do not specifically measure emissions reduction or other environmental impacts, and do not account for the varying environmental or carbon impact of individual materials. This was reinforced by 2022 Climate Change Committee (CCC) advice to the Scotland Government and Parliament, which recommended that Scotland “set targets to reduce waste and improve recycling rates beyond 2025”… “on the basis of separate waste streams (rather than 'All waste') and where possible consider carbon-based metrics.”

As our review of our resources and waste system has found, the sustainable choices are still not the easy choices for households, businesses or those in the waste sector, and large-scale, and rapid system change is required to drive progress, and ensure a more rapid transition to net zero and a fully circular economy in Scotland.

To lay the foundations for this transformation, and set out priority actions to accelerate more sustainable use of our resources and reduce emission associated with resources and waste, we published our draft Circular Economy and Waste Route Map to 2030 for consultation in January 2024. Circular economy and waste route map to 2030: consultation - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Alongside this, the Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill was introduced to the Scottish Parliament in June 2023, and contains provisions that require primary legislation to underpin Scotland’s transition to a circular economy, and modernise Scotland’s waste and recycling services. If passed, the Bill will primarily deliver new powers that will set a framework for taking action into the future. The direction and actions set out in the Route Map are complemented by the provisions in the Bill, and in some places are dependent on enabling powers flowing from the Bill if passed. Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill – Bills (proposed laws) – Scottish Parliament | Scottish Parliament Website

These actions will complement the existing, wide-ranging measures we have delivered or are delivering to support our waste reduction, recycling and emission reduction objectives, as set out in the CCPu. Current measures to divert waste from landfill, include a ban on biodegradable municipal waste going to landfill from 31 December 2025, and support for local authorities to secure contracts that comply with the landfill ban. We are working with the UK and devolved governments on reforms to extended producer responsibility schemes for packaging, waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and batteries, which will help drive circular economy outcomes. Our £70 million Recycling Improvement Fund was launched in March 2021, and more than £60 million has been awarded to 25 local authority projects to improve recycling infrastructure, projected to save over 57,000 tonnes of CO2e per year. We remain committed to the delivery of a successful Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for single use drinks containers, and are working with the other UK Governments towards the launch of UK-wide schemes by October 2027.

Developments in monitoring arrangements since last report

Work continues to develop more robust reporting for some of the CCPu indicators, including landfill gas capture and food waste measurements. An updated Scotland food waste estimate for 2021 has been published alongside our review of the food waste reduction action plan. Food waste: review of 2019 waste reduction action plan - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Moving forward, it is clear from the response to the first Circular Economy and Waste Route Map consultation (2022), and through recent recommendations from the CCC, that there is broad support for a new suite of indicators to track Scotland’s progress in moving to a circular economy, aligned to our efforts to tackle the climate and nature emergencies. Delivering Scotland's Circular Economy - route map to 2025 and beyond: consultation analysis - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

We intend to set new circular economy targets from 2025, with work to develop this monitoring framework across 2024-25, drawing on existing evidence and progressing further research as required. The targets will cover the period to 2030 as a minimum, and will inform future indicators set for the next CCP. This will also allow more holistic tracking of Scotland’s consumption levels and wider measures of circularity.

Improvements in waste data are overseen by the multi-stakeholder Scottish Waste Data Strategy Board. Across the draft Circular Economy and Waste Route Map, there are a range of measures that rely on timely data and evidence to maximise delivery of meaningful benefits. To ensure this happens, and we have a data landscape that remains fit for the future, we intend to work closely with partners to review and refresh the strategy and its action plan. Given the transformational changes being brought forward through the Route Map and the Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill, we intend to undertake this work in coordination with the development of a new monitoring framework for Scotland’s circular economy, and emission reduction-related monitoring requirements.

We will also account for the changes to the data landscape that key measures like extended producer responsibility schemes, modernising recycling reform, and the UK-wide digital waste tracking service, will have, providing a step change in the quality and timeliness of waste data in Scotland.

6.2 Part B – Progress to Policy Outcome Indicators

Policy Outcome: Cross-sectoral social and economic

Indicator: Full-time equivalent (FTE) employment in Low Carbon Renewable Energy Economy Indicator

On-Track Assessment (Milestones/Targets): Year-to-year change

Most Recent Data: 2022

Data Source(s): Low Carbon and Renewable Energy Estimates, Office of National Statistics

Assessment: Too Early to Say

Commentary:

• In 2022, the Scottish low carbon renewable energy economy (LCREE) sectors were estimated to provide 25,700 FTE jobs.
• The estimates of LCREE are based on a relatively small sample of businesses and hence are subject to a wide confidence interval.
• Scottish LCREE employment in 2022 is lower than in 2021 but the difference is not statistically significant and caution should be exercised when interpreting year on year changes due to a high degree of uncertainty in estimates.

Source: Office of National Statistics (ONS) Low Carbon and Renewable Energy Economy Estimates

Policy Outcome: 1

Indicator: Total amount of landfilled waste (tonnes)

On-track Assessment (Milestones/Targets): Progress to target [no more than 5% of all waste to landfill by 2025]

Most Recent Data: Waste landfilled in Scotland reduced from 3.0 million tonnes in 2021 (31% of waste generated) to 2.4 million tonnes in 2022. The percentage of total waste sent to landfill in 2022 was 23%.

Data Source(s): Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) official statistics – Waste landfilled in Scotland 2022, Waste from all sources 2022

Assessment: Off Track

Commentary: Currently, Scotland landfills around a third the amount landfilled in 2005, with waste sent to landfill falling from around 7 million tonnes in 2005 to 2.4 million tonnes in 2022. Scottish waste landfilled in 2022 was 23% of total waste generated.

Achieving the weight-based, 5% to landfill target represents a significant challenge and the pace of reduction would need to accelerate markedly to meet the target. It should be noted however, that the types of waste being landfilled have changed significantly, with ‘household and similar waste’ (responsible for much of the biodegradable waste, which produces landfill gas) reducing from 46% of waste landfilled in 2005 to 31% of waste landfilled in 2022.

Much of the remaining material we landfill has a low carbon impact when landfilled or cannot easily be recycled or disposed of by other means. As we set out in the draft Circular Economy and Waste Route Map (2024), the 5% to landfill target does not account for the carbon intensity of waste being diverted to landfill, and is not a good indicator to measure the sector’s progress to net zero. Achieving our 5% target does not fully align with our emissions reduction commitments or other environmental ambitions in the long term.

Policy Outcome: 1

Indicator: Total amount of biodegradable landfilled waste (tonnes)

On-track Assessment (Milestones/Targets): Year-to-year change +

Progress to interim target [0 tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled by 31^st December 2025]

Most Recent Data: Biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) landfilled has reduced from 2.0 million tonnes in 2005 to 0.71 million tonnes in 2022.

Data Source(s): SEPA official statistics – waste landfilled in Scotland 2022

Assessment: On Track

Commentary: Clear reductions have been seen over the past 15 years in the amount of BMW landfilled. The amount of biodegradable municipal waste (BMW – the biodegradable component of Municipal Waste) disposed to landfill in 2022 was 707,000 tonnes, a decrease of 174,000 tonnes (20%) from 2021 and a reduction of 1.3 million tonnes (65%) since 2005. The increase between 2020 and 2021 was likely due to the effects of COVID-19. However, the longer term downward trend is expected to continue as we move towards the ban on landfilling biodegradable municipal waste, which will come into force on 31 December 2025. Work continues to support local authorities to put in place alternative solutions to comply with the ban. This includes providing access to technical, legal and procurement advice on their contracts.

Policy Outcome: 2

Indicator: Number of closed landfill sites with exploratory landfill gas capture/ flaring

On-track Assessment (Milestones/Targets): Progress to target [12 by 2025]

Most Recent Data: N/A

Data Source(s): To be determined

Assessment: Off Track

Commentary: This was a new policy, as outlined in the CCPu, to accelerate Landfill Gas Capture, working with SEPA and key industry partners to scale up the existing landfill gas capture programme to mitigate effects of landfill and environmental impact of closed landfill sites. This is supported by additional funding from the Low Carbon Fund, with the aim to harness the energy generated from landfill gas capture and maximise circular economy opportunities. Due to other unavoidable resource and budget implications, including COVID-19 contingency work, progress on this policy outcome was paused, but roll out of the programme is expected to begin from 2024 subject to final budget allocations and resource availability. Please see Part C for more information.

Policy Outcome: 3

Indicator: Household and non-household food waste reduced (tonnes)

On-track Assessment (Milestones/Targets): Progress to target [reduce all food waste by 33% from 2013 baseline by 2025]

Most Recent Data:

Comparison of food waste estimates in 2013,2018, and 2021

Sector	2013 baseline (tonnes)	2018 estimate (tonnes)	2021 estimate (tonnes)	2025 target (tonnes)
Food & drink Manufacturing	248,229	282,682	281,396	171,032
Households	598,890	600,312	610,167	412,640
Other sectors	140,964	144,107	146,109	97,125
Total	988,083	1,027,102	1,037,671	680,797

An estimated 1,037,671 tonnes of food and drink in Scotland was wasted in 2021.

Data Source(s): 2021 Scottish Food Waste Estimate – Zero Waste Scotland, January 2024 2021 Scottish Food Waste estimate

Assessment: Off Track

Commentary: A review of Scotland’s Food Waste Reduction Action Plan has been published, along with the food waste estimate for 2021. The Review shows that progress to reduce food waste was limited by the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crises. Overall we found that actions set out in 2019 were not enough – food waste has not decreased. The food waste estimate indicated that there was a 5% increase compared to 2013, which represents a 2% increase per capita against the 2013 baseline. According to 2021 data, the two largest sector sources of food waste are Household & Consumer (59%) and Food & Drink Manufacturing (27%). While supporting change within Scottish households is required, the relationships between the consumer, the retailer and the supply chain are complex, with each influencing the others’ decisions and behaviour. The remaining 14% is food waste generated by the Hospitality & Catering, Wholesale & Retail, Education, and Healthcare sectors.

The draft Circular Economy and Waste Route Map was published in January 2024, alongside the Review of the 2019 Food Waste Reduction Action Plan. It marks a collective reset of our approach to tackling food waste as part of wider, cross-government food policy, noting that sticking to the same path will not yield the results we need to see. The actions we set out in the Route Map are based on the evidence we have so far on how best we can reset our approach and accelerate Scotland’s goal to reduce food waste, and towards the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of a 50% reduction by 2030.

Policy Outcome: 4

Indicator: Total waste generated (tonnes)

On-track Assessment (Milestones/Targets): Progress to target [reduce total waste by 15% by 2025 against 2011 baseline]^[31]

Most Recent Data: The estimated total quantity of waste generated in Scotland in 2022 was 10.16 million tonnes.

Data Source(s): SEPA official statistics – Waste from all sources 2022

Assessment: On Track

Commentary: The total amount of waste generated in 2022 was 10.16 million tonnes, an increase of 6.2% from 2021. This equates to an 15.1% reduction compared with 2011. Despite the annual increase, for the second year in a row Scotland has met its 2025 target to achieve a 15% reduction of all waste against 2011 levels.

However, it should be noted that 2021 was an atypical year due to the impact of COVID-19 and, even in years not affected by COVID-19, year-to-year changes in waste can be marked – generally driven by year-to-year variability in construction and demolition waste. In 2022, most of the increase in waste generated is construction type wastes such as Soils and Mineral waste from construction and demolition. Due to the level of year-to-year fluctuation, the target has been met in 4 years (2012, 2014, 2021, 2022) but not the other 5 years for which data is available. Excluding construction and demolition waste, the trend is clearer with a decline in combined household and commercial & industrial waste from 6.8 million tonnes in 2011 to 5.5 million tonnes in 2022, a drop of around 18% in 11 years. As a result of the December 2020 cyber-attack on SEPA, waste from all sources publications for 2019 and 2020 were not available.

In January 2024, our Circular Economy and Waste Route map consultation set out proposed measures to accelerate progress towards sustainable resource use and a circular economy in Scotland. This included measures designed to cut waste, challenge the current approach to consumption and production by mainstreaming reuse and repair, and incentivising and promoting sustainable choices; focusing on reducing food waste from all sources; and embedding circular construction practices to reduce resource needs, reduce waste and carbon, and encourage refurbishment and reuse.

6.3 Part C – Information on implementation of individual policies

Outcome 1: Reduction in waste sent to landfill

Policy: End landfilling of biodegradable municipal waste by 2025, reduce the percentage of all waste sent to landfill to 5% by 2025 and recycle 70% of all waste by 2025 by:

• Developing a new route map to reduce waste and meet our waste and recycling targets for 2025 in a way that maximises their carbon savings potential.
• Developing a post 2025 route map for the waste and resources sector, identifying how the sector will contribute towards Scotland’s journey towards net zero in the period to 2030 and beyond.
• Establishing a £70m fund to improve local authority recycling collection infrastructure.
• In line with EU requirements, further promoting reuse and recycling ensure separate collection of textiles by 2025; and ensuring that biowaste (e.g. garden waste), is either separated and recycled at source, or is collected separately and is not mixed with other types of waste by 2023.
• In response to a recommendation from the CCC, it is our intention to extend the forthcoming ban on biodegradable municipal waste to landfill to include biodegradable nonmunicipal wastes, subject to appropriate consultation and work to provide assurance around some specific waste streams.

Date announced: 2020-2021 Programme for Government (PfG)

Progress on implementation since time of last report / CCPu:

• Publication of draft Circular Economy and Waste Route Map to 2030 for consultation (January 2024).
• Our £70 Recycling Improvement Fund was launched in March 2021. So far more than £60 million has been awarded to 25 local authority projects to improve recycling infrastructure.
• We continue to provide procurement support to help local authorities that need it to secure contracts in preparation for the forthcoming ban. As part of this support, Zero Waste Scotland is working with local authorities to provide technical, legal and procurement advice on their contracts.

Have any implementation indicators / milestones been set for this policy? If so, most recent data for progress against these:

• Route Map milestones: first consultation in May 2022 (complete), and second consultation in January 2024 (complete).
• The projects funded through the Recycling Improvement Fund are projected to save over 57,000 tonnes of CO2e per year.

Timeframe and expected next steps:

• The final Route Map is due for publication later in 2024.
• The Recycling Improvement Fund is a five-year fund, running until 2025/26, with further investments to be made across the lifetime of the Fund.
• A date of 31 December 2025 to ban the landfilling of biodegradable municipal waste has been set out in legislation.
• Following work to identify and quantify waste streams that could fall within an extension of the landfill ban to include biodegradable non-municipal waste, we will bring forward a call for evidence in 2024 to begin to better understand these and other problematic waste streams and identify alternative treatment options for these wastes.

Policy: Work with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) in the coming year to evaluate the Household Recycling Charter and review its Code of Practice as a key step in developing a future model of recycling collection.

Date announced: 2020/21 PfG

Progress on implementation since time of last report / CCPu:

• A process to co-design a new Household Recycling Charter and Code of Practice, and put this on a statutory basis, was announced through the introduction of the Circular Economy Bill in 2023. The Bill is currently progressing through the Scottish Parliament.
• Additional detail on the approach to the new statutory Code of Practice and some of the dependencies was included in the Circular Economy and Waste Route Map to 2030, published for consultation in January 2024.

Have any implementation indicators / milestones been set for this policy? If so, most recent data for progress against these: N/A

Timeframe and expected next steps:

Scoping work for the new Code of Practice commenced in 2023. Research and engagement with local authorities is now underway to inform the development of a co-design methodology. Delivery of the co-design process will take place in 2024/25 and conclude in 2025/26.

Policy: Underpinning this we will take steps to improve waste data, continuing to

work with UK Government, other devolved governments and agencies to develop electronic waste tracking, which will help deliver a step change in the quality and usefulness of waste data for decision making. This will include taking the necessary steps alongside SEPA to drive implementation of the system in Scotland.

Date announced: Low Carbon Fund 2020

Progress on implementation since time of last report / CCPu: A joint Government Response to a joint (Scottish, UK and Welsh governments and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland (DAERA)) consultation on Mandatory Digital Waste Tracking was published on 31 October 2023. This set out, the scope and intention for how the service will work including what waste will be tracked, what information will be recorded, and how the service will recover costs through charging. See the Government Response for more details: Government response - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Route Map consultation (2024) sets out our intention to set new circular economy targets from 2025, with work to develop this monitoring framework across 2024-25, drawing on existing evidence and progressing further research as required. The targets will cover the period to 2030 as a minimum. This will also allow more holistic tracking of Scotland’s consumption levels and wider measures of circularity. Improvements in waste data are overseen by the multi-stakeholder Scottish Waste Data Strategy Board. Across the Circular Economy and Waste Route Map there are a range of measures that rely on timely data and evidence to maximise delivery of meaningful benefits. To ensure this happens, and we have a data landscape that remains fit for the future, we intend to work closely with partners to review and refresh the strategy and its action plan. Given the transformational changes being brought forward through the Route Map and the Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill, we intend to undertake this work in coordination with the development of a new monitoring framework for Scotland’s circular economy, and emission reduction-related monitoring requirements.

Have any implementation indicators / milestones been set for this policy? If so, most recent data for progress against these:

The Government Response set out two implementation milestones:

• The for service to be publicly available to users on a voluntary basis in 2024; and
• For legislation to come into force from April 2025 making use of the service mandatory.

Circular economy monitoring framework will be developed across 2024-25, with new targets determined from 2025, to be supported by a refreshed waste data strategy action plan.

Timeframe and expected next steps: As above.

Outcome 2: Reduction in emissions from closed landfill sites.

Policy: Accelerate Landfill Gas Capture and Landfill Legacy Management: we will work with SEPA and key industry partners to scale up the existing landfill gas capture programme to mitigate effects of landfill and environmental impact of closed landfill sites

Date announced: Low Carbon Fund 2020

Progress on implementation since time of last report / CCPu: No progress

Have any implementation indicators / milestones been set for this policy? If so, most recent data for progress against these: The CCPu set out an ambition to double the number of landfill gas capture sites that undertake investigative or development work (from 12 to 24 sites) by 2025.

Timeframe and expected next steps: Our Circular Economy and Waste Route Map consultation set out a timeline to increase the capture of landfill gas by 2025/2026.

Policy: Landfill gas capture on closed sites: in association with SEPA and the waste industry, double the number of landfill gas capture sites that undertake investigative or development work (from 12 to 24 sites) by 2025, in order to harness energy generated from landfill gas capture and maximise other circular economy opportunities. SEPA has already identified 12 sites for potential investigative work.

Date announced: Low Carbon Fund 2020

Progress on implementation since time of last report / CCPu: As above

Have any implementation indicators / milestones been set for this policy? If so, most recent data for progress against these: As above

Timeframe and expected next steps As above

Outcome 3: A reduction in food waste

Policy: Scottish Government has committed to reduce food waste by 50% by 2030, in line with UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3.

Date announced: Food Waste Reduction Action Plan (FWRAP) published 2019; 2020/21 PfG; Review of FWRAP published 2024.

Progress on implementation since time of last report / CCPu: A review of food waste reduction progress in Scotland was published in January 2024, alongside the publication of the 2021 Scottish food waste estimate. Evidence has shown that 2021 food waste levels in Scotland are higher than the baseline figure in 2013.

Have any implementation indicators / milestones been set for this policy? If so, most recent data for progress against these: Scottish Government has committed to reset our approach to tackle food waste and the Circular Economy and Waste Route Map is a vehicle to achieve this. A second consultation on the draft Route Map was conducted between January and March 2024. Consultation responses will be analysed to inform the final Route Map for publication later in 2024, including food waste actions within it.

Timeframe and expected next steps: As above. Next steps also include supporting the passage of the Circular Economy Bill, as this includes proposals to enable powers for the mandatory public reporting of food waste and surplus by businesses.

Policy: Improving local authority segregated food waste collections to help break down barriers to food waste reuse and recycling. Supporting leadership, innovation, effectiveness and efficiency in Scotland’s public, private and hospitality sectors by expanding pilot programmes across the education sector and public sector buildings; Support the development and implementation of an NHS Scotland national action plan on food waste; Develop best practice guidance for public sector procurement teams to drive new ways of working and more transparent supply chains. A sustained approach to public engagement and communications to enable the public to make changes in their choices and behaviours around food and food waste, in partnership with Zero Waste Scotland.

Date announced: Food Waste Reduction Action Plan 2019 and CCPu 2020

Progress on implementation since time of last report / CCPu:

The Recycling Improvement Fund has funded seven projects to increase food waste recycling and expand access, with a value of over £2.2 million.

Have any implementation indicators / milestones been set for this policy? If so, most recent data for progress against these: N/A for data.

Review the rural exemption for food waste recycling, as part of recycling co-design process in 2024/25 and 2025/26.

Timeframe and expected next steps: The Scottish Government retains a commitment to consult on the rural exemption for food waste collections, linked to the co-design of the new Household Recycling Code of Practice. The co-design of the new Household Recycling Code of Practice will include a comprehensive review of the existing Code of Practice and its impact. Opportunities to build on this and improve recycling provision, including for food waste, will be assessed.

Outcome 4: Reduce waste and establish a more circular economy, where goods and materials are kept in use for longer.

Policy: We will work with local authorities and the future DRS

administrator(s) to explore options that will unlock reprocessing investments, including pricing and incentive schemes, to create jobs and a ready supply of recycled material for new packaging.

Date announced: 2020/21 PfG

Progress on implementation since time of last report / CCPu: We have set out a range of further measures to be delivered in the coming years to improve services, increase the recyclability of products, increase capture at end-of-life and provide greater incentives for domestic reprocessing. This includes extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes for packaging, waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and batteries, with the first scheme for packaging to begin from 2025. Packaging EPR is anticipated to increase recycling rates for packaging materials to 76% by 2033^[32]. It will require clearer labelling of products for recycling, and producers to cover the full net cost of managing household packaging when it becomes waste. Funding will go to local authorities to fund effective and efficient collection systems for household packaging waste.

We also remain committed to the delivery of a successful DRS for single use drinks containers, and are working with the other UK Governments towards the launch of UK-wide schemes by October 2027.

To support our transition to a circular economy and reduce Scotland’s global carbon impact, we must take responsibility for our own waste, managing and processing as much as possible here in Scotland. A large majority of Scotland's waste is already managed within Scotland, but around 15% is currently processed elsewhere, representing a lost economic opportunity and an environmental cost too. Measures within the Route Map are focused on tackling this. Recycling co-design processes will look at the available markets and reprocessing capacity for collected materials, and opportunities to facilitate this; and existing measures in train like extended producer responsibility schemes will provide greater incentives for domestic reprocessing (as above). To strengthen public confidence in where recycling goes, we will also be consulting on the introduction of end destination public reporting of household recycling collected (by 2027/28).

Have any implementation indicators / milestones been set for this policy? If so, most recent data for progress against these: N/A

Timeframe and expected next steps:

• Co-design process for high quality, high performing household recycling and reuse services (2024/25 and 2025/26)
• Develop a statutory code of practice for household waste services (by 2025/26)
• Co-design measures to improve commercial waste service provisions (2026/27)
• Develop options and consult on the introduction of end destination public reporting of household recycling collected (by 2027/28)
• Producers to begin paying local authorities the full net cost of managing household packaging waste (October 2025)

Policy: Measures to encourage more sustainable consumer purchasing, including plans to take further steps to consult on a charge on single use disposable beverage cups and to increase the carrier bag minimum charge from 5p to 10p in this parliamentary session.

Date announced: Boosted [2020-2021 PfG]

Progress on implementation since time of last report / CCPu: Bag Charge was increased to 10p on 1 April 2021

Work on a single-use disposable cup charge is progressing, powers to introduce a charge are included in the Circular Economy Bill and a consultation on the cup charge will be published with the intention of introducing regulations by 2025.

Have any implementation indicators / milestones been set for this policy? If so, most recent data for progress against these:Single-use disposable cup charge is due to be introduced by 2025.

Timeframe and expected next steps: Consultation – 2024

If the Bill is passed by Parliament, CE Bill receives royal assent 2024/25 TBC.

Cups charge regulation passed– 2025

Policy: Banning priority single use items: We will consult on banning a number of problematic plastic items identified in the EU’s Single Use Plastics Directive (with a view to introducing legislation in 2021) and outline how we will give effect to the wider requirements of the Directive before the end of 2020

Date announced: 2020/21 PfG

Progress on implementation since time of last report / CCPu: From 1 June 2022 Scotland became the first part of the UK to implement a ban on some of the most problematic single-use plastic products through the Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Scotland) Regulations 2021. The regulations make it an offence for a person who, in the course of a business, supplies, offers to supply, or has in their possession for supply a range of single-use products, including cutlery, plates and beverage/food containers below:

The Scottish Government is taking concrete action to tackle single-use plastic issues at home as well as exchanging knowledge and practice with our international partners. The single-use plastics regulations sit alongside a broader range of initiatives already established or underway, including:

• Market restrictions in Scotland on plastic microbeads and plastic-stemmed cotton buds which came into force on 19 June 2018 and 12 October 2019 respectively;
• A 10p-levy on single-use carrier bags from 2021;
• Introducing extended producer responsibility for packaging from 2025, alongside the other UK governments
• Working with other administrations on the introduction of a deposit return scheme that will be in force across all of Scotland;
• Working with the other administrations on proposals to ban wet wipes containing plastic, with a UK-wide consultation held in Autumn 2023.
• A ban on the sale and supply of single use vapes in Scotland, following consultation in 2023. The UK Government and Welsh Government have also confirmed that they intend to legislate for a ban in England and Wales respectively. Draft Scottish regulations to ban single use vapes were published on 23 February 2024 confirming a common coming into force date of 1 April 2025.

Have any implementation indicators / milestones been set for this policy? If so, most recent data for progress against these: As above, consultation on single use cups charge will be published.

Timeframe and expected next steps:

• A consultation on the introduction of a charge for single-use disposable cups (2024)
• A response to the consultation on wet wipes containing plastic will be published.
• A consultation a ban the sale and supply of single use vapes was conducted in October-December 2023. Following the decision to proceed with a ban, the Scottish Government consulted on draft Regulations in February/March 2024, and a further six-week consultation on implementation and draft impact assessments was launched on 2 April 2024. Responses to both consultations will be used to inform the final regulations and impact assessments that will be laid in the Scottish Parliament this year, before a proposed ban coming into force from April 2025.

Policy: Implementation of our Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for single use drinks containers.

Date announced: CCP 2018

Progress on implementation since time of last report / CCPu: We remain committed to the delivery of a successful DRS for single use drinks containers to increase recycling rates for single use drinks containers to at least 90%. Scottish DRS Regulations were laid in 2020 and establish the framework for DRS in Scotland, but implementation of those Regulations has been prevented by the UK Government's decision not to grant a full UK Internal Market Act exclusion for the scheme in May 2023. The UK Government has announced a delay to the launch of a UK-wide DRS to October 2027.

We continue to work across all administrations to ensure we are delivering a DRS which is simple and efficient for industry and consumers across the UK. A joint policy statement was published in April 2024 setting out the four-nation approach to DRS.

Have any implementation indicators / milestones been set for this policy? If so, most recent data for progress against these: N/A

Timeframe and expected next steps

• Joint policy statement will be published in 2024 setting out the four-nation approach to DRS.
• DRS planned launched across all UK Nations in October 2027

Policy: We will also work collaboratively across the public sector developing tools and guidance and a practical approach to influence and empower buyer, supplier and key stakeholder communities to use public procurement to support a green recovery and our wider climate and circular economy ambitions through procurement, embedding climate considerations in organisational procurement strategies by 2021 and reporting progress in annual procurement reports.

Date announced: 2020/21 PfG

Progress on implementation since time of last report / CCPu: National suite of online Sustainable Procurement Tools modernised to support Scottish public sector procurers to adjust to a more resource efficient and sustainable procurement practice, with learning and guidance provided on climate and the circular economy (Scottish Government Annual Procurement Report 2021-2022 (www.gov.scot)).

Public sector procurement strategy published April 2023

Have any implementation indicators / milestones been set for this policy? If so, most recent data for progress against these: N/A

Timeframe and expected next steps: The draft Circular Economy and Waste Route Map consultation (January-March 2024) sets out a range of proposed activity in relation to sustainable procurement including analysis of market information and spend data to identify areas where regulations under section 82 and 82A of the Climate Change Act could enhance circular purchasing opportunities.

Policy: We are introducing extended producer responsibility for packaging from 2025 alongside the other UK governments, which will see producers paying local authorities the full net cost of running an efficient and effective household packaging collection service.

Date announced: 2020/21 PfG

Progress on implementation since time of last report / CCPu: The Packaging Waste (Data Reporting) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2023 and The Packaging Waste (Data Reporting) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2024 are now in force.

The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024 have now been notified to the EU and World Trade Organisation (WTO). These regulations will establish packaging EPR through a UK statutory instrument.

Have any implementation indicators / milestones been set for this policy? If so, most recent data for progress against these: N/A

Timeframe and expected next steps: The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024 will be brought before the UK parliament later this year and has an intended coming into force date of 1 January 2025. Scottish Parliament will be notified of Scottish Ministers proposed consent to these regulations and allowed 28 days for scrutiny.

Policy: We are boosting our commitment to building a circular economy, where goods and materials are kept in use for longer. We will deliver this by embedding circular recovery principles in the wider green recovery. Through Zero Waste

Scotland and Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), we will intensify our work with industry and businesses to address emissions associated with production, consumption and waste of products/resources; and to promote resource efficiency.

Date announced: CCPu 2020

Progress on implementation since time of last report / CCPu: Last year we consulted on our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan (ESJTP), which sets out the Scottish Government’s vision for Scotland's energy system to 2045 and a route map of ambitions and actions that, coupled with detailed sectoral plans and the forthcoming CCP, will guide decision-making and policy support over the course of this decade.

We also published discussion papers on land use and agriculture Just transition in land use and agriculture: a discussion paper - gov.scot (www.gov.scot), the Grangemouth Industrial Cluster Just Transition: Grangemouth (www.gov.scot) and the built environment and construction sector Delivering a Just Transition for the Built Environment and Construction Sector Delivering a Just Transition for the Built Environment and Construction Sector (www.gov.scot)

We have also consulted on an updated Circular Economy and Waste Route Map, which sets out the clear actions we need to take to deliver sustainable use of our resources and progress a circular economy in Scotland by 2030 Circular economy and waste route map to 2030: consultation - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). This includes a package of measures to embed circular practices in the construction sector.

We introduced the Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill to Parliament on 13 June 2023 (Introduced | Scottish Parliament Website.) The Bill places a duty on Scottish Ministers to publish or refresh a circular economy strategy every 5 years, and powers for Scottish Ministers to create statutory circular economy targets.

Have any implementation indicators / milestones been set for this policy? If so, most recent data for progress against these: N/A

Timeframe and expected next steps: If the Bill is passed by Parliament, the first circular economy strategy should be published in 2025. The circular economy monitoring and indicators framework will be developed across 2024-25, with new targets determined from 2025, supported by a refreshed waste data strategy action plan.

Policy: In the context of the latest CCC recommendations and building on progress already made by the sector, we will consider measures to ensure new energy from waste plants are more efficient, and ‘future-proofed’ for Carbon Capture and Storage technology.

Date announced: CCPu 2020

Progress on implementation since time of last report / CCPu: We published a Government Response to the Second Report from the Independent Review of the Role of Incineration in the Waste hierarchy in Scotland, available here: Decarbonisation of residual waste infrastructure: Scottish Government response. This highlights actions to improve the efficiency of energy from waste plants and the appropriate use of Carbon Capture Use or Storage technology, including:

• National Planning Framework 4 sets out that development proposals for energy-from-waste facilities will not be supported except under limited circumstances where a national or local need has been sufficiently demonstrated, and where relevant criteria are met. This includes the requirement to show consideration was given to methods to reduce carbon emissions of the facility (for example through carbon capture and storage); and, supplying an acceptable decarbonisation strategy aligned with Scottish Government decarbonisation goals.
• Continued funding support for the deployment of heat networks including those that utilise energy from waste, through the £300 million Scotland’s Heat Network Fund;
• Continued support through our Heat Network Support Unit (HNSU), which supports the growth of heat networks by addressing key challenges in the pre-capital stages of heat network development and building capacity across the public sector to deliver successful projects; and
• Funding and policy support, which we continue to offer to support the deployment of CCUS in Scotland, and urge the UK Government to progress CCUS at pace.

Have any implementation indicators / milestones been set for this policy? If so, most recent data for progress against these: N/A

Timeframe and expected next steps: In our consultation on the Circular Economy and Waste Route Map (2024) we proposed to facilitate the development of a Sector-Led Plan to minimise the Carbon Impacts of the Energy from Waste Sector, and to publish this plan in 2025/26. This will, among other things, focus on measures to end the unnecessary incineration of high carbon emitting materials such as plastics from incineration and consider opportunities to decarbonise energy from waste, particularly the barriers and opportunities, such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage. More information is available here: Supporting documents - Circular economy and waste route map to 2030: consultation - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Policy: As part of our work on developing a route map to 2025, we will undertake a specific and focused piece of work to examine the range of fiscal measures used by other countries to incentivise positive behaviours and to develop proposals to go further in this area.

Date announced: CCPu 2020

Progress on implementation since time of last report / CCPu: Alongside the second Circular Economy and Waste Route Map consultation, published in January 2024, we published new research on fiscal incentives for householders to reduce residual waste and maximise use of recycling provision. There are currently no plans to introduce Direct Variable Charging in Scotland, but the Scottish Government will continue research on fiscal incentives to better understand the potential they may have to address waste management issues in Scotland.

Have any implementation indicators / milestones been set for this policy? If so, most recent data for progress against these: N/A

Timeframe and expected next steps: We intend to conduct a review of waste and recycling service charging by 2025 to ensure that we have the right incentives to reduce waste and maximise use of recycling and reuse services. This review will investigate whether the current position incentivises the right positive behaviours, and delivers the most value for local authorities, including the highest quality recyclate. The review will account for current and future funding availability for household services, including the potential revenue stream from the new packaging Extended Producer Responsibility scheme.