Safeguarding Scotland's Resources - A Programme for the Efficient Use of Our Materials: Analysis of Consultation Responses

1. Introduction

1.1 In 2010 the Scottish Government launched Scotland's Zero Waste Plan^[3] which promoted the vision of a Scotland where we waste as little as possible, recognising that every item and material used is a resource which has a value. The Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012 set a clear path for this to happen. Building further upon these developments, the Scottish Government published a consultation, Safeguarding Scotland's Resources - A Programme for the Efficient Use of our Materials^[4], to seek views on a range of proposals to reduce waste and promote resource efficiency.

1.2 The consultation was grounded in the principles of using materials efficiently, avoiding waste and reusing items, and contained a programme of proposals to drive progress towards furthering these principles in the broad areas of:

• working with businesses
• product design and packaging
• reuse
• influencing behaviours.

1.3 The consultation is in line with the European Waste Framework Directive for every member of the European Union to produce a waste prevention programme by the end of 2013. Safeguarding Scotland's Resources proposes an overall target of a 5% reduction in all waste by 2015, and a longer term vision of a 15% reduction in all waste by 2025. The proposals in the consultation go wider than a waste prevention strategy, however, and are designed to contribute to improving Scotland's economy (through savings to businesses and the creation of new business and market opportunities); protecting the environment; reducing carbon impact; conserving resources; and helping to deliver behaviour change.

1.4 Views were sought from stakeholders including retailers, manufacturers, PR (Producer Responsibility) compliance, packaging and waste companies, local authorities and other public bodies, non-Government organisations (NGOs) and others, with specific proposals relating to a variety of areas including the construction industry, waste management industry, manufacturing and retail. Two stakeholder events^[5] were held in Edinburgh and Glasgow with attendees including representatives from businesses and business networks, local authorities and the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management. A written consultation was also published.

1.5 The written consultation closed on 28^th September 2012. This report presents the analysis of the views contained in the written responses to the consultation. A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the proposed programme, "Safeguarding Scotland's Resources" was undertaken and the Environmental Report was published on 1 February 2013. Views on the Environmental Report are reported in Annex 3. The main consultation was re-opened for responses while the SEA was out for consultation, with new comments on the original proposals incorporated into the main analysis.

Written consultation responses

1.6 In total, 693 responses to the consultation were submitted, 594 of which resulted from internet campaigns. Ninety nine "standard" responses to the consultation were received: 75 (76%) of these were submitted by organisations and 24 (24%) were from individuals. The standard responses have been made publicly available on the Scottish Government website^[6] unless the respondent has specifically requested otherwise. Table 1 shows the numbers of standard responses by category of respondent.

Table 1: Number of standard responses by category of respondent

Category	Number	Percentage
Retail	15	15
Local authority bodies	14	14
Manufacturing	9	9
Non-Government Organisations	8	8
PR Compliance	8	8
Packaging	7	7
Waste Management	6	6
Business	4	4
Other Public Sector	4	4
Total organisations	75	76
Individuals	24	24
Total	99	100

NB Percentages are rounded and may not add to sub-totals or totals exactly

1.7 Retailers comprised the largest organisation respondent group, submitting 15% of all standard responses received. The full list of the organisations responding to the consultation is in Annex 1.

1.8 In addition to submitting their respective organisation's response, two respondents also organised campaigns on aspects of the consultation. Copies of the two pro-forma used are in Annex 2. A summary of the number of campaign responses received is in Table 2.

Table 2: Summary of responses to campaigns

	Campaign organised by WWF	Campaign organised by Marine Conservation Society
No. of responses from within Scotland	429	61
No. of responses from the rest of the UK	52	34
No. of responses from elsewhere	9	6
Origin not clear		3
Total no. of responses	490	104

1.9 An electronic database was used to collate the standard responses to assist analysis. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches to analysis were adopted to reflect the nature of the consultation questions, many of which combined both closed and open elements. In reporting the results of the closed questions, the percentage figures given indicate the proportion agreeing/partially agreeing/disagreeing of all those who provided comments on the question. In some cases it was not clear from the comments whether the respondent was in agreement or otherwise; these are reported in the tables as 'commentary only'.

Report of findings

1.10 The following five chapters document the substance of the analysis. Chapter 2 examines views on the Scottish Government's proposals for efficiency in business resources. Chapter 3 presents views on proposals to promote the sustainable design of products and services. In Chapter 4, views are reported on Scottish Government proposals to work with ZWS to increase the supply and demand for quality reusable items. Chapter 5 analyses views on proposals designed to influence behaviours of individuals and organisations to use material resources more efficiently. Finally, comments on proposed targets and associated indicators for waste prevention are summarised and presented in Chapter 6.

1.11 Some respondent categories have been abbreviated as follows:

Local authority body LA

Manufacturing Man

Non-Government organisations NGO

PR-Compliance PR-C

Packaging Pack

Waste Management WM

Business Bus

Other public sector Pub-Oth

Individuals Ind