Bottle return schemes - national and local - may be coming nearer

18 September 2017

Greenpeace has been running a campaign to get bottle deposit and return schemes introduced in the UK, and flagged up an item in the Independent on 5 September reporting that Nicola Sturgeon supports the introduction of a scheme for Scotland.

Independent   Tuesday 5 September 2017     Shafi Musaddique

Nicola Sturgeon backs plans for shoppers to trade in bottles for cash

Scotland looks for recycling alternatives already in use across much of Europe

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has backed plans by the Government to introduce a system under which shoppers will be able to cash in on old bottles.

The Scottish Government commissioned a detailed study into a potential deposit return scheme back in June. Under the plan, customers will pay a small deposit that is refunded once an empty glass, plastic or aluminium bottle is returned.

The Government said that it would hold a public consultation based on the findings of that study. After that, ministers will come to a final decision on a possible deposit scheme.

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More locally, a TBI member attending the Local Larder launch last week said she would buy Black Isle Dairy's milk off the farm at Rootfield if the bottles were returnable.  When this was put to Nick Mackenzie he said that his own preferred solution would be to use returnable glass bottles (which would make the milk taste even nicer), but that the cost of bottles and the necessary industrial washing plant would be prohibitive.  However he also said that he was considering the possibility of installing a bulk milk vending machine, so that customers could bring and re-use their own containers.

We wonder if a large number of emails supporting that idea might help to bring it about.               hello@blackisledairy.co.uk

PM