Deposit return scheme for Scotland: summary

How the system is regulated (Questions 35 to 39)

A deposit return scheme will require some form of regulation to ensure obligations are being fulfilled.

To ensure the scheme functions, producers will have to provide data in terms of the amount and nature of products they put onto the Scottish market and ensure that they use any labels which are required. Options for regulating producers are:

1. Regulation by an existing body, most likely Trading Standards or The Scottish Environment Protection Agency ( SEPA)

2. The establishment of a new body to oversee regulation

3. Regulation by the scheme administrator

In some systems, the scheme administrator will have a role in determining whether products that go on the market can be part of the scheme, which can have a role in encouraging better product design. They will often charge a fee for each product that they approve.

Return points for the system, no matter which model is adopted, will also need to be regulated to ensure that empty containers are being accepted and deposits are being returned correctly.

The infrastructure of a system will require careful regulation. The handling and transport of waste in Scotland are subject to a number of regulatory requirements. Where waste management regulations apply, it is likely that SEPA will be responsible for enforcement.

Finally, the system administrator itself will be subject to some form of regulation. This would be particularly important if the administrator was expected to meet statutory recycling targets. In most European systems with a central administrator, the role of regulation is undertaken by the government department responsible for the environment.