Should the scheme administrator be set up in advance of the regulations being brought forward, asks SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson.

Gavin Partington says his understanding is that the government setting one up would potentially breach procurement rules which require organisations being able to compete to provide services.

Jim Fox adds that until industry sees the final regulations, it cannot see how it will work and this must be unraveled before we get started.

Image source, bbc

Jim Fox from the Food and Drink Federation Scotland says anything in DRS should be exempt from EPR.

The Scottish government should not just say it will be all right on the night, Mr Fox argues.

"We can't afford that, it's like tens of millions of pounds for our industry."

Stephen Freeland calls for DRS and EPR to be dovetailed so there is not a two year delay before EPR is introduced.

EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) is the concept of brand owners and manufacturers taking environmental responsibility for their products and the associated packaging when they become waste.

Image source, bbc

Susan Love from FSB Scotland points out this is setting up an entirely new organisation and the new administrator will not be set up before Spring.

We've been speaking about this for a long time, but there are no decisions about a vast number of issues, adds Ms Love.

She argues the new administrator should be in place first.

It's very, very difficult to do this well under the timescale at the moment, she adds.

Colin Smith from the Scottish Wholesale Association suggests an alternative to the return to retail model could be a kerbside collection but with QR codes and an app which would ensure people were given their deposit back.

Zero Waste Scotland hasn't allowed us to look at these alternatives, he tells the committee.

Calum Duncan from Marine Conservation Society agrees that Lithuania were able to introduce DRS in six months.

Mr Duncan insists there are marketing opportunities.

From an environmental perspective there is stalling at a UK level, he warns.

"We need to get on and do it."

Tory MSP Finlay Carson says there is a clear business preference for a UK-wide scheme.

He wonders if the timetable is a political decision given it is due to come in just before the 2021 Holyrood elections and whether it is realistic.

The convener points out this committee has not been political so far and says "behave yourself".

Jenni Hume accepts people in industry want a bit more time but she does not think they are asking for it to be paused until the rest of the UK can catch up.

She highlights the earliest plan for elsewhere in the UK was 2023 which has probably been pushed back due to the Environment Bill falling due to the general election.

Ms Hume argues 2021 is realistic and points to Lithuania, which introduced DRS within six months and achieve 90% return rates in the first few months.

Stephen Freeland from the Scottish Environmental Services Association points out there are recycling facilities that can separate items into different groups.

Mr Freeland points out he is not to sure if the Scottish government wants shiny new machines when the capacity is already there.

Image source, bbc

It would require tweaking to take in the new composition of material, he says, but the capacity would be the same.

Labour MSP Claudia Beamish says surely a lot of litter will increase the capacity for recycling.

Mr Freeland says he is not convinced there will be a huge increase, to which Ms Beamish points out the figures show there will be.

Image source, bbc

Colin Forshaw from the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management Scotland also raises timescale issues.

There are quality issues as well, he argues.

Mr Forshaw does not believe the actual tonnage has been accurately modelled.

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Rachael Hamilton asks if the DRS scheme should be paused and rolled out across the UK.

In simple terms yes, replies Andrew Tighe, expressing a preference for a UK wide scheme.

The committee convener reiterates the climate emergency and tough targets Scotland faces.

Calum Duncan from Marine Conservation Society says he doesn't think people want to see Scotland drag its heels.

Gillian Martin asks if there should not be more pressure put on the UK government to catch up with Scotland.

Mr Partington also thinks the ideal would be to have a UK wide DRS scheme, warning the timescale is unlikely to succeed.

Jim Fox from the Food and Drink Federation Scotland warns against having to separate Scotland and England.

Working out how to deal with the waste produced by everyday life has become increasingly important, but with different rules in different areas it can be hard to know what you can recycle - and how.

Here we answer some of the questions you have asked about recycling in Scotland.

Why are there so many different recycling rules?

Each of the 32 councils in Scotland has their own rules around what can and cannot be recycled, what bins different types of waste should be put in - and even the number and colour of bins that are provided.

Read more.

Colin Smith says more warehouse capacity will be required if wholesalers are stocking different containers for Scotland and the rest of the UK.

Ewan MacDonald-Russell says many SRC members produce an own-brand range and there is research ongoing about whether these will continue to be profitable after label requirements.

Jenni Hume accepts there will be logistical challenges, but we are living in a recognised climate emergency so we cannot keep doing business in the way it has been done historically.

Image source, bbc

Mr Partington says the system administrator should set the fee and put it at a lower level.

The British Soft Drinks Association calls for more monitoring of movement across the border if the 20p level is kept.

Jim Fox from the Food and Drink Federation Scotland explains the complexity that the DRS scheme would have, for example in terms of the artwork on the beverage container.

It would need some text explaining the scheme and that it is not for sale in England for example, which would be very costly, he says.

Andrew Tighe from the Scottish Beer and Pub Association agrees labelling will be a challenge for brewers who deliver across the UK.

While we recognises there will have to be specific Scottish labelling to deal with the fraud risk, that does could with challenges because brewers will not make to order but to forecasts he says.

Gavin Partington from the British Soft Drinks Association says one organisation he represents has said they may limit the options sent to Scotland and focus on its best sellers.

We want to see this scheme work but we must highlight challenges, he adds.

Image source, bbc

Colin Smith of the Scottish Wholesale Association explains his organisation distributes all the beverage containers to retailers across Scotland.

Mr Smith explains within this scheme wholesalers will become producers, importers and retailers.

He points out own label products will have to be different in Scotland than in the rest of the UK and indeed the EU.

"It creates a lot of difficulties for us."

Image source, Getty Images

A Scottish craft brewery boss has attacked plans to introduce a deposit return scheme (DRS) for some cans, plastic bottles and glass.

Arran Brewery owner Gerald Michaluk claimed the scheme was "rushed, deeply flawed and open to potential fraud".

The Scottish government wants the DRS to be up and running by 2021, as part of its climate action plan.

It said the intention was that the scheme would be cost neutral for retailers.

But Mr Michaluk warned DRS would place "a huge burden" on small firms.

Read more.

The second session will focus on operation, time frames and governance, with the following experts:

• Calum Duncan from Marine Conservation Society, external
• Colin Forshaw from the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management Scotland, external
• Jim Fox from the Food and Drink Federation Scotland, external
• Stephen Freeland from the Scottish Environmental Services Association, external
• Jenni Hume of Have You Got The Bottle, external
• Dr John Lee of the Scottish Grocers Federation, external
• Susan Love from the Federation of Small Businesses, external
• Ewan MacDonald-Russell from Scottish Retail Consortium, external
• Gavin Partington from the British Soft Drinks Association, external
• Colin Smith of Scottish Wholesale Association, external
• Andrew Tighe from the Scottish Beer and Pub Association, external
• Edward Woodall from the Association of Convenience Stores, external

Andrew Picken
BBC Scotland News

Image source, Getty Images

Plans to introduce a deposit return scheme in Scotland are too complicated and could miss a planned 2021 launch date, experts have warned.

The Scottish government will add 20p to the cost of some plastics, cans and glass as part of its climate action plan.

It is hoped the scheme will be up and running by 2021.

But the government's own advisory group has "raised concerns" about "deliverability on that timetable".

Read more.

Jim Fox expresses concerns about serious fraud in the system.

He uses the example of a truck of cans being worth £15,000 more in Scotland than in England due to the deposit and he questions what would stop people purchasing cans in England and then shipping it to Scotland.

Jenni Hume says other countries have had to take steps to prevent fraud using measures like bar codes and labeling.

That ends the first roundtable session - stay tunes for the next one.