News / Views sought on deposit return scheme
GOVERNMENT agency Zero Waste Scotland is coming to Shetland next week to hear islanders’ views on a proposed deposit return scheme for drinks cans and plastic bottles.
Staff from the agency will have a stand at the Lerwick Co-op on Monday evening until 8pm and on Tuesday between 10am and midday to discuss how such a system could work in Scotland.
Used in many countries throughout Europe, under the deposit return scheme customers pay a small deposit on drink cans and bottles, which they recoup when returning the containers for recycling.
The public consultation with a view to introducing such a scheme Scotland-wide runs until 25 September.
Detailed information on what is proposed can be found at https://consult.gov.scot/environment-forestry/deposit-return-scheme
Shetland Islands Council’s transport and environment committee chairman Ryan Thomson encouraged people to respond to the consultation.
“I’d hope that the Shetland community would support any attempts to reduce the increasing amount of plastic pollution in the environment, particularly in our seas and along our coast,” he said.
“This new deposit return scheme will provide a financial incentive to hand back plastic bottles, and increase the quantity that can be recycled.”
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