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Policy

Managing waste

Directorate
Environment and Forestry Directorate
Topic
Environment and climate change
Policy actions  1 of 5

Resource efficiency

In Making Things Last: a circular economy strategy for Scotland we set out how we aim to move Scotland towards a more circular economy through using resources more efficiently, reducing waste, encouraging re-use and increasing recycling.

Through Zero Waste Scotland programme Resource Efficient Scotland we are supporting businesses, third sector and public sector organisations to boost productivity by using energy, materials and water more efficiently.

We support the European Commission's vision that all plastic packaging should be easily recycled or reusable by 2030.

Circular economy

A circular economy is one where products and materials are kept in high-value use for as long as possible. Moving Scotland towards a more circular economy will benefit:

  • the environment, by cutting waste and carbon emissions and reducing reliance on scarce resources
  • the economy, by improving productivity and resilience and opening new markets
  • communities, by providing more lower-cost options for accessing the good we need, with opportunities for social enterprise

Packaging extended producer responsibility

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) shifts the cost of managing packaging waste from taxpayers and local councils to the businesses that produce the packaging. 

This encourages businesses to make more environmentally friendly packaging choices. 

UK-wide EPR scheme 

We have worked with the other UK governments to develop a UK-wide packaging EPR (pEPR) scheme.

The scheme, managed by PackUK, started in January 2025. It aims to reduce harmful packaging waste and improve recycling rates. 

Under this scheme: 

  • businesses are charged fees for different packaging materials, with packaging that’s better for the environment costing less 
  • the fees collected are paid to councils across the UK, including Scotland 
  • businesses are incentivised to reduce excess packaging, to design and use packaging that is easily recyclable, and encourage use of reusable and refillable packaging

This money will help improve how Scotland collects and recycles packaging waste. 

What businesses need to pay 

PackUK has published: 

For more detailed information about the pEPR scheme and these documents, visit the UK Government website. 

Find out more 

Key policy documents related to the scheme's development include: 

A code of practice on sampling and reporting at materials facilities has been established to support data collection for the scheme. 

Single-use materials

Single-use materials such as disposable coffee cups and plastic straws represent an extremely inefficient use of resources.

While some single-use items are more recyclable than others, rather than displace activity into alternative single-use materials we aim to shift behaviour in Scotland away from single-use materials completely.

We have taken the lead in this by banning single-use hot drinks cups in all Scottish Government buildings, which will prevent 450,000 cups being thrown away per year.

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