FERGUS EWING: Livelihoods are at risk from ‘disastrous’ scheme

All over Scotland small brewers and distillers are desperately worried about the introduction of the deposit return scheme.

Around 600 have signed a letter to the First Minister expressing their concerns and seeking a halt, pause and review. Some tell me they are having sleepless nights.

Every single one wants to see further recycling – but none thinks this scheme is the way to do it.

A further sector is also worried though this has received very little publicity at all. These are the businesses who currently deal with waste disposal. I have been in touch with some of them in the Highlands over the past weeks. They tell me of well-developed business relationships which have been built up often over decades.

What is about to happen is almost incredible. These existing businesses (and they are well known to and a part of the communities they serve) do a great job. But their work is in many cases simply being taken over by a huge company called BIFFA, which is owned by a US hedge fund and has a dubious environmental record.

This company is supposed to procure lorries, hire drivers and take over the waste collection of thousands of businesses all over Scotland by August.

All over Scotland there are waste recycling companies whose businesses and in some cases very future are under threat from this disastrous scheme.

I have spoken out repeatedly on this in Holyrood , and challenged the minister, Green MSP Lorna Slater. However, she resolutely refuses to answer questions, stating that Circularity Scotland is in charge and run by industry. This is an unaccountable private company.

But last week, just about all the major business organisations in Scotland denied that this industry make these decisions at all, and also added their voice to those seeking a halt to, and review of, this scheme. Adding to
the complications, retailers predict shop prices will rise – especially for the poorest people – in the midst of the cost-of-living crisis.

The deposit return scheme is also facing a legal challenge and the prospect of a UK veto because it may breach a law designed to prevent barriers to trade in the UK being created.

Fortunately Kate Forbes in her campaign for leadership of the SNP and therefore likely to be First Minister if she is successful, has stated the scheme should be halted, otherwise, she said, “economic carnage” would result.

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.