Circular economy and waste route map to 2030: island communities screening assessment
Island Communities Screening Assessment (ICIA) for Scotland's Circular Economy and Waste Route Map to 2030.
Gathering data for future analysis
78. Some data already exists in relation to the key potential impacts identified during the workshop and consultation responses, and these sources have been outlined below. However, at this stage only overarching issues have been identified to assist future evidence gathering processes as interventions are developed.
79. It is intended that further detailed assessment of the impacts and associated evidence is gathered at the point when the specific details of each intervention are developed and progressed. Further research should be considered to understand the gaps in data that exist as and when interventions are developed in future.
a. Transport
The Scottish National Islands Plan Survey[57] highlights that views on the reliability and availability of ferries vary between ages groups and between island subregions3.
b. Availability of disposal options and/or infrastructure
Waste and recycling data is available from island communities via their local authorities and is reported to SEPA on an annual basis using Waste Data Flow[58]. This data covers household waste and recycling collections, treatment, and disposal. This data shows that the majority of island authorities have recycling rates that are below the Scottish average, in some cases by a substantial margin[59] and kerbside recycling services are not universal in island communities.
There is, however, less data available on commercial and industrial waste. Data is key to understanding waste, recycling, and resource flows and to target necessary action and funding.
Shetland, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and Orkney local authorities can provide specific waste management data relating to their island communities and this should be used when it comes to the design of specific interventions.
Highlands, Argyll & Bute and North Ayrshire local authorities may be less likely to be able to disaggregate data from island communities. This might also be the case for waste management companies, where they operate on islands. Efforts should be made to collect data specific to these island communities to better inform the detailed development of relevant measures.
The Scottish National Islands Plan Survey 2020[60] highlights the variability of views across the Scottish Islands on access to recycling household waste and donating items for reuse. This should be considered and explored further during the development of related measures.
In research undertaken previously by Zero Waste Scotland[61] to better understand the costs of waste management, collection, and disposal in Scotland, all island authorities, with the exception of North Ayrshire, were included in the rural inaccessible category. North Ayrshire was included in the rural accessible classification because most of the population lives on the mainland, apart from Arran. The research indicated that for the rural inaccessible category, the annual cost per household of providing waste collections is substantially higher than the average cost in Scotland. Although these figures should be treated with caution as they are based on one year's data and calculated using several assumptions, they do indicate that there is an island premium in the cost to local authorities of managing household waste.
c. Availability and access to products and services
It is understood through research gathered for the Fairer parcel deliveries: action plan[62] that costs for delivery discriminates against those living in rural and remote areas, such as the islands. This can prevent island communities taking advantage of the digital economy and the products and services it provides. It is also noted that this can be a barrier to small businesses, which further limits the availability for individuals as well as the economic potential of those locations.
The Islands Green Recovery Programme Refill Fund was part of the Scottish Government's £2 million programme to inspire locally led green projects on islands to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. The fund awarded over £250,000 to 20 organisations and businesses in island communities to gain funding to develop packaging-free shopping opportunities in the grocery retail sector. Findings and experience from this initiative will be important to consider as specific interventions in the CEWRM are developed [63] [6] [65].
d. Employment and skills
The National Islands Plan survey[6] provides an understanding of availability of job and training opportunities across the different island sub-regions. Further knowledge would be needed to understand how this would relate to any opportunities and challenges resulting from measures that affect employment and skills, and how these would differ from those experienced by communities elsewhere in Scotland.
e. Constraints regarding public service design
Research exists into place-based policy making in rural Scotland including service delivery challenges in remote communities including island communities[67]. For example, utilising innovative practices and collaboration to overcome challenges and find opportunities in these areas[68]. The co-design approach for household recycling will aim to ensure these limitations are accounted for and solutions made in collaboration with islands authorities to ensure future services perform as highly as is possible in the context of geographical variations.
f. Disproportionate costs/cost of living implications
Those living in remote rural areas of Scotland experience higher costs to achieve the same standard of living when compared to those in urban areas. This may mean that those on an equivalent income in a remote rural area, including islands, may be more likely to face financial difficulty[69].
Available evidence also identifies the existence of a 'poverty premium', where low-income consumers tend to overpay for goods and services. This can result in a lack of access to lower priced, better quality and more durable goods. These issues may also impact those living in Scottish island communities. In the case of food, the poverty premium is a consequence of the lack of access to large supermarkets to get multi-buy deals or of higher delivery charges for small shopping baskets.
Respondents to the second consultation highlighted the need to be wary of potential socio-economic impact of some proposals on island communities - given the additional costs and challenges relating to circularity and waste disposal in these areas.
Contact
Email: CERouteMap@gov.scot
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