A new poll, commissioned by the international campaign group Nature 2030, suggests eight out of ten people in Scotland want glass to remain in a deposit return scheme (DRS).
Survation polled 1,009 members of the Scottish public aged 18 and over between 27 April – 3 May 2023.
The survey follows Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf announcing in April that the country’s DRS was delayed to 1 March 2024 rather than August this year.
Over three-quarters of respondents told the survey that glass bottles should also be added to the DRSs in England and Northern Ireland. The schemes planned for Wales and Scotland are already set to include glass.
According to a previous poll by Nature 2030 in January, there is “strong support” from 75% of Britons to include glass bottles in the government’s proposed DRSs in England & Northern Ireland.
Until now, Scotland has been an outlier within the UK, a model to replicate.
Dominic Dyer, Chair, Nature 2030, commented: “It’s clear that the British population want to see glass included in the four nation’s DRS plans and the planet needs it.
“Until now, Scotland has been an outlier within the UK, a model to replicate. The delay brings cause for concern that Scotland will be dragged back into an English model of DRS that fails to protect nature and fails to satisfy the demands of the public.
“Scotland must continue to lead the way on recycling.”
