Controversial plans by SNP ministers to snoop on families and fine them for not putting rubbish in the correct bin will backfire and lead to less recycling, experts have warned.
The Scottish Government has been told that the latest attempt to improve the ‘circular economy’ risks ‘turning off’ households from recycling.
Experts from a Manchester University project set up to improve plastic recycling warned of the risk that imposing stricter rules on households and hitting them with fines for failing to put rubbish in the correct bin could be counter-productive.
A ‘circular economy and waste route map’ published earlier this year set out that failing to recycle will become a criminal offence and new fixed penalties will be introduced for using the wrong bin ‘in 2025/26’.
But Dr Helen Holmes, of the University of Manchester’s ‘One Bin To Rule Them All’ project, said: ‘We would caution against imposing stricter rules and enforcement on households.
Scots are expected to recycle household waste with the Scottish Government hoping to reduce the amount of rubbish ending on landfill sites
Failure to sort out rubbish could lead to fines
‘As our research has demonstrated, not only is this likely to be highly costly for local authorities but runs the risk of further “turning off” households from engaging with and appreciating the benefits of recycling.
‘As we advocate the most important thing to improve recycling rates is to make things easier for households in the first place. Much of this must start higher up along the supply chain (product design) and filter through to straightforward waste regimes.’
The project has called for household recycling to become less complex and more standardised across different areas.
In her submission to the Scottish Government consultation on the issue, Dr Holmes said: ‘Placing more onus on already confused consumers through policies which increase household duties of care are unlikely to increase recycling buy-in.
‘As our research has shown, measures listed such as reducing general waste bin size may lead to higher recycling volumes but also lead to increased contamination – so whilst metrics are met, material which can actually be recycled is actually lower.
‘It is vital that the consultation does not fall into the trap of essentially greenwashing because metrics are improved even if outcomes are not.’
The consultation proposes that a new ‘householder’s duty of care’ on family waste will be introduced by 2025/26, and it would be a criminal offence to breach it.
It also says that local authorities will get the power in 2025/26 to ‘issue written warnings and, where those warnings are not heeded, civil penalties or fixed penalty notices to householders who place the wrong materials in waste and recycling bins’.
In an analysis of consultation responses published yesterday, the Scottish Government said there was a ‘mixed response’ to the proposal.
It said: ‘Some disagreed with introducing measures which focus on penalising households, raising concerns about the impact on vulnerable people and the additional administrative burden placed on local councils.
‘A few questions were raised about the enforcement of the strengthened duty of care, including queries about how those using communal bins would be subject to enforcement action and the consequences of not paying fines.’
It also said some respondents disagreed with punitive measures on non-compliant households and warned that stricter enforcement was unfair due to the lack of clarity about recycling procedures.
Ministers hope their plans will lighten the load for hard-working refuse staff
It went on: ‘Specific concerns were raised about the impact of the measures on vulnerable people, including those with disabilities or mental health issues.’
Scottish Conservative net zero, energy and transport spokesman Douglas Lumsden said: ‘The SNP government should take heed of these warnings, rather than stubbornly pursuing pre-determined and possibly counter-productive policies.
‘The botched deposit return scheme showed that draconian and inflexible policies – even for a cause that’s widely supported – are disastrous. If we want recycling rates to improve and to avoid a repeat of that fiasco, the SNP must listen and adopt realistic and practical measures.’
But the City of Edinburgh Council backed the measures in its consultation response, saying: ‘Failure to use services correctly has consequences, not only for the local authority and the environment but also for other citizens who have to pay for the financial costs associated with this.’
Acting Net Zero Secretary Gillian Martin said: ‘Ahead of the publication of the final Route Map, we’re carefully considering all feedback to ensure our transition to a circular economy works for Scotland’s businesses, public sector and communities and helps us reach our net zero ambitions.’
She added: ‘We want to make sustainable choices the easiest option for both people and businesses and the actions in our Route Map will help make that a reality, ensuring we value materials and keep them in use for as long as possible before recycling where possible.’
