Scotland edges closer to a Deposit Return System

People are seeing more plastic bottles and cans now as litter than they were 12 months ago, according to data from environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful.

It’s shameful that for so long we have been polluting our communities with litter that we should be collecting like the valuable resource it is, so today, a year ahead of the long-awaited Deposit Return Scheme going live across the UK, we’re calling on everyone to keep pressure on to make sure it has the impact we hope, and to publicly support the scheme.

While plastic bottles and aluminum cans were recorded on just 20% of streets we know that these items make up a significant volume of litter across the country, and can be found in higher quantities on beaches, in parks and in other open spaces. And, because they are highly visible 70% of people notice bottles and cans as litter often.

An effective and well-designed Deposit Return Scheme could have a huge impact in removing significant contributors to Scotland's litter emergency, while also increasing uncontaminated recycling rates, reducing carbon emissions and promoting circular economy principles.

Barry Fisher, our CEO said: “We’ve consistently called for a UK-wide, all-in Deposit Return System to help shift behaviours towards those that will reduce litter and help people understand the value of their waste. With just a year to go we’re looking forward, with hope, to October 2027 when the much-anticipated Deposit Return Scheme will start.

“Adding a deposit to cans and plastic bottles should encourage people to return them and collect their 20p deposit rather than chuck them mindlessly on our streets, roadsides and open spaces. 

“While there are many other prominent litter types contributing to Scotland’s litter emergency we anticipate, like in other countries, that the volume of littered cans and plastic bottles will reduce – and we welcome all steps to keep Scotland beautiful.

“And with more than half of people asked believing that the scheme will have a positive impact on recycling rates, as well as reducing litter, the scheme introduction can’t come soon enough for us in the sector.”

Over the next year we will continue to engage positively with Exchange for Change on a number of areas, building greater awareness of the benefits to consumers, testing messaging and gathering data and evidence, and seeking to go beyond engaged audience's to reach into communities that will benefit most, but were we need to get the messaging and infrastructure right. 

By 2028 we hope we'll already see the impact across our data trends, but in the meantime we have work to do as an organisation to ensure the Deposit Return Scheme is a success, and to push harder for Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging to cover litter items not captured in this scheme in the future.

We can all play our part on an individual level. Everyone can reduce the number of single-use drinks containers they buy, dispose of them on the go or take them home to be recycled.

For a longer read on the subject check out the Blog by Barry A deposit on a product, a return of the item, an exchange for change. Is less litter on the horizon?