Parliament considers '˜cash for trash' suggestion

How to best to deal with waste is being debated in parliament

These are just some of the issues the Scottish Parliament’s Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee is exploring in considering how well Scotland manages, and might better manage, waste.

The committee is examining waste generation and disposal – including waste sent to landfill, incineration or recycling centres – and indentifying the challenges and opportunities in meeting waste targets.

As part of this, the committee is looking at the volume, sources and treatment of waste in Scotland before considering what improvements might be made.

And it includes the feasibility of introducing a deposit return scheme , allowing customers to return bottles or cans for a cash payment.

Graeme Dey MSP, convener of the committee, said: “Our committee intends to explore Scotland’s approach to waste management in the round.

“We plan to take evidence to identify the key issues for waste management before focussing on possible priorities for action.

“A deposit return scheme might be part of the solution but we will examine this in the context of a wider look into waste management.”

A sub-group of the committee has met members of Scotland’s waste management industry, as well as environmental charities and local authorities, to create a report for the committee, which identifies the pros and cons of a deposit return scheme.