Written Question · S4W-04225 · Session 4
What changes it envisages by 2017 in Scotland's waste and recycling performance and what legislation will underpin this.
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive what changes it envisages by 2017 in Scotland's waste and recycling performance and what legislation will underpin this.
The answer
By 2017 we expect to see a positive improvement in Scotland’s waste and recycling performance, driven by the Scottish Government’s zero waste agenda.
The Zero Waste Plan sets out an ambitious agenda for changing how Scotland views and manages its resources and to make Scotland one of the highest performing recycling countries in Europe. To support this aim, the plan includes ambitious targets including a 70% recycling rate for household and all other waste streams by 2025.
The recycling figures released by SEPA on Monday 28 November which showed Scottish local authorities recycled or composted nearly 44% of household waste over the first quarter of 2011 indicate steady headway in achieving this goal.
The next steps of the zero waste agenda are well advanced. We are about to lay before the Scottish Parliament legislation which we believe will provide the necessary statutory framework for achieving the targets. The Zero Waste (Scotland) Regulations will provide a renewed emphasis on source segregation of recyclable materials including food waste, complemented by bans on these important resources going to landfill or incineration.
Work is also progressing on our waste prevention programme which will tap into an estimated 2.3% of our Gross Domestic Product that could be saved by using raw materials more efficiently and cutting waste.
It is vital that we recognise that everything we use and throw away is a resource which has value and we believe that these next steps will assist Scotland in doing this.
The Zero Waste Plan sets out an ambitious agenda for changing how Scotland views and manages its resources and to make Scotland one of the highest performing recycling countries in Europe. To support this aim, the plan includes ambitious targets including a 70% recycling rate for household and all other waste streams by 2025.
The recycling figures released by SEPA on Monday 28 November which showed Scottish local authorities recycled or composted nearly 44% of household waste over the first quarter of 2011 indicate steady headway in achieving this goal.
The next steps of the zero waste agenda are well advanced. We are about to lay before the Scottish Parliament legislation which we believe will provide the necessary statutory framework for achieving the targets. The Zero Waste (Scotland) Regulations will provide a renewed emphasis on source segregation of recyclable materials including food waste, complemented by bans on these important resources going to landfill or incineration.
Work is also progressing on our waste prevention programme which will tap into an estimated 2.3% of our Gross Domestic Product that could be saved by using raw materials more efficiently and cutting waste.
It is vital that we recognise that everything we use and throw away is a resource which has value and we believe that these next steps will assist Scotland in doing this.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S4W-04225 by reference.