Circularity Scotland announces Biffa as logistics partner for UK’s first Deposit Return Scheme in Scotland.
Circularity Scotland Ltd, the not-for-profit scheme administrator for the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) in Scotland, has signed an agreement with Biffa that will see the sustainable waste management company become the scheme’s official logistics service provider.
Circularity Scotland says the DRS aims to ensure that at least 90% of recyclable drinks containers are captured and prevented from becoming waste. The Deposit Return Scheme is a fundamental part of Scotland’s efforts to tackle climate change and create a circular economy by reducing waste.
The DRS scheme is a key part of Scotland’s move to a circular economy.
The agreement comes after several months of close collaboration between the organisations as they progress towards DRS going live in August 2023. Circularity Scotland expects to create around 500 jobs in Scotland to support the collection, sorting, and counting of products within the scope of the scheme.
Circularity Scotland is also working with Biffa to explore the opportunity to build a PET recycling plant in Scotland to support the scheme and create further employment opportunities.
It marks the latest development of the scheme, following May’s announcement that Circularity Scotland had secured an £18m investment from the Scottish National Investment Bank and Bank of Scotland to support the initial set-up phase of the scheme.
CEO of Circularity Scotland, David Harris, said: “The DRS scheme is a key part of Scotland’s move to a circular economy. It is one of the most significant environmental infrastructure projects ever introduced in the UK and the most comprehensive deposit return scheme anywhere in the world.
“As scheme administrator, Circularity Scotland is working at pace to ensure that the scheme runs effectively and efficiently, and at as low a cost as possible, from August 2023.
“Bringing on board Biffa as our logistics service provider is another landmark moment in this work and their unparalleled expertise in supporting large scale and complex recycling schemes will help us to achieve the aim of capturing and recycling at least 90% of drinks containers made from PET plastic, aluminium, steel or glass.”
The new agreement will see Biffa take responsibility for the work of collecting billions of drinks bottles and cans from return points across Scotland each year, as well as managing the bulking and counting centres that will process material for recycling.
Circularity Scotland is working at pace to ensure that the scheme runs effectively and efficiently, and at as low a cost as possible, from August 2023.
From August 2023 all drinks producers and everyone selling single-use drinks containers are required to take part in the Deposit Return Scheme. A refundable 20p deposit will apply to all single-use PET plastic, aluminium, steel or glass drinks containers ranging in size from 50ml up to three-litre containers.
Biffa Chief Executive Officer, Michael Topham, said: “We’re delighted to have been appointed to provide logistics, sorting and counting services for Scotland’s landmark Deposit Return Scheme.
“This appointment is testament to the strength of Biffa’s reputation as a sustainable waste management provider to complex markets, our extensive capabilities and world leading recycling infrastructure.”
