Orkney's MSP brings together local stakeholders for DRS Roundtable

Orkney's MSP, Liam McArthur, has today brought together local businesses and community groups in Orkney to discuss the upcoming rollout of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).

In a virtual roundtable event, around 20 local stakeholders put questions to senior representatives of Circularity Scotland and ZeroWaste Scotland who are responsible for overseeing the rollout of DRS. The discussion covered a range of issues relating to costs and timeframes, as well as some of the specific challenges faced in island communities, notably around transportation as well as storage in small shops.

The roundtable follows the unveiling of two reverse vending machines (RVM) in Kirkwall last week by the Minister for Circular Economy, Lorna Slater, as part of a trial of the technology that will be used in the main Deposit Return Scheme due to be rolled out across Scotland next August. Mr McArthur met with the Minister as part of her visit to the county and took the opportunity to highlight some of the concerns that have been raised by local businesses.

Commenting afterwards, Mr McArthur said:

"As the date for implementing the deposit return scheme moves ever closer, those most directly affected are eager to understand what is planned and how it will work in practice. It is also no secret that the implementation of such a scheme will be particularly challenging in our island communities and require bespoke solutions.

"I'm grateful to Circularity Scotland and Zero Waste Scotland for taking part in the roundtable and offering more detail on what has been agreed and the areas where further work is required. Similarly, it was great to have a wide range of local businesses and community groups involved who were able to share their experience and concerns as well as ask questions.

"There is clearly still a concern amongst smaller retailers about how returned items will be stored. The logistics of transporting off the islands also featured prominently during the meeting and further discussions are planned between the operator, Biffa and Orkney Islands Council and local hauliers. Getting these details right will be key if the scheme is to meet its environmental objectives in the context of our islands.

"While today’s meeting was useful, there is still a lot of work to do in addressing outstanding concerns and raising awareness amongst producers, retailers and other businesses affected. We also need to see a concerted campaign to raise public awareness too in the weeks and months ahead. Meantime, I will continue to work with local stakeholders to help ensure we get the implementation of this scheme right for Orkney."