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

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

Scandinavia and some parts of central Europe have national bottle deposit schemes in place (REUTERS)

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.

In a speech on Tuesday, the First Minister said she was in favour of introducing a deposit return scheme. She described it as "an important part of our determination to tackle litter and clean up our streets".

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We have already confirmed that we are looking at new ways to ensure we keep as many valuable materials in circulation for as long as possible, and deposit return is one of those options.”

More than 20 million tonnes of waste are produced each year, according to the Scottish Government.

According to Greenpeace, 35 million plastic bottles are discarded every day in the UK with many ending up as beach litter.

Catherine Gemmel, conservation officer at the Marine Conservation Society, welcomed the First Minister’s support for a bottle deposit scheme.

“We are absolutely thrilled with today’s announcement”, she said.

“We see this as the simplest next step to help turn the tide on plastic, glass and metal drinks containers on our beaches. We hope that this will inspire similar systems throughout the UK.”

Jenni Hume, manager for the Have You Got the Bottle campaign that advocated for greater recycling efforts in Scotand, said backing for a deposit system is "absolutely the correct next step.”

“If Scotland can take the lead here, as with the carrier bag charge, we are very optimistic that England would follow”, she added.

Incentives for consumers to recycle bottles have existed in some European countries for decades.

Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden introduced publically-funded national deposit systems as far back as the 1980s.

It says refund systems in Germany have helped to remove between 1 and 2 billion old bottles from Germany’s bins and streets and has suggested modern public refund systems can be designed at an insignificant cost to the taxpayer.