Scottish Forestry - recycling related questions: EIR release

Information requested

You asked for:

1. How many bin liners were purchased and used by this organisation in each of the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 financial years.
a. In relation to above, how many of the purchased bin liners were biodegradable.

2. How many plastic cups were purchased and used by this organisation in each of the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 financial years .

3. How much bubble wrap was purchased and used by this organisation in each of the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 financial years .

4. How many units of bottled water were purchased and used by this organisation in each of the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 financial years .

5. How many disposable drinks cups, such as coffee cups, were purchased and used by this organisation in each of the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 financial years

6. Does this organisation have an record of all the single use plastic purchased and used by it in each of the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 financial years, if so could it be sent over.

Response

As the information you have requested is ‘environmental information’ for the purposes of the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs), we are required to deal with your request under those Regulations. We are applying the exemption at section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA), so that we do not also have to deal with your request under FOISA.

This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption, because there is no public interest in dealing with the same request under two different regimes. This is essentially a technical point and has no material effect on the outcome of your request.

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested where it is available at Annex 2, in the format you asked for.

Annex A - Reasons for not providing information
The Scottish Government does not have the information

Under the terms of the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held), the Scottish Government is not required to provide information which it does not have. Scottish Forestry does not hold the information/data you have requested relating to bin liners used; bubble wrap; and single use plastic.

This exception is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. While we recognise that there may be some public interest in information about the use of bin liners; bubble wrap; and single use plastic, clearly we cannot provide information which we do not hold.

1. How many bin liners were purchased and used by this organisation in each of the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 financial years.

No, information not held

a. In relation to above, how many of the purchased bin liners were biodegradable.

No, information not held. Most cleaning services are contracted out across the organisation and bin liners form part of cleaning supplies provided.

2. How many plastic cups were purchased and used by this organisation in each of the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 financial years.

Yes. Across the organisation, the following purchases were reported: 2017/2018 - 120 2028/19 - 120 2019/20 - 120

3. How much bubble wrap was purchased and used by this organisation in each of the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 financial years.

In Part .Not purchased across the 5 regional conservancies. No information available for the office at Silvan House.

4. How many units of bottled water were purchased and used by this organisation in each of the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 financial years.

Yes. In the Perth and Argyll Conservancy, approximately 7 litres of bottled water have been purchased each year when water has been cut off at office.

5. How many disposable drinks cups, such as coffee cups, were purchased and used by this organisation in each of the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 financial years

Yes. Disposable drinks cups are generally not purchased by Scottish Forestry. Records indicate that in the following years the following cups were purchased: 17/18 - 200 18/19 - nil 19/20 - 20.

6. Does this organisation have an record of all the single use plastic purchased and used by it in each of the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 financial years, if so could it be sent over.

No

About FOI
The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.