The Scottish Government has set out proposals to move towards a more circular economy with new national reuse and recycling targets.
Reducing single-use, disposable items such as cups, banning the destruction of unsold goods and promoting the reuse of construction materials being suggested within the draft Circular Economy and Waste Route Map consultation. It follows an earlier consultation in 2022 and the final road map is due later in the year.
Over the past ten years, the total amount of waste going to landfill in Scotland has dropped by over a third, with the most recent official statistics showing that Scotland met its 2025 target to reduce all waste by 15%.
Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater says: ‘We have already made good progress across Scotland, significantly reducing the amount of waste we generate and landfill, but we need to go further if reusing and recycling goods is to become the default choice for households, businesses and the public sector.
‘This second consultation sets out our priority actions and the tools we will put in place to help everyone play their part in cutting waste and capitalising on the economic opportunities that a circular economy presents to businesses.’
The proposed priorities are to:
- reduce food waste from households and businesses
- significantly improve recycling from households and businesses
- develop regional Scottish hubs and networks for the reuse of construction materials and assets
- set new circular economy targets until at least 2030
- minimise the impact of disposal of waste that cannot be reused or recycled
- promote and support responsible production and consumption
- strengthen data and the evidence of environmental impact
