Scotland's DRS glass inclusion blocked by the UK Government

Scotland's Deposit Return Scheme glass inclusion has been blocked by the UK Government.

The bungling Scottish government this week found out that the much delayed DRS can’t go ahead as planned, after the UK government refused their use of glass, only allowing PET bottles, aluminium and steel cans.

The Scottish DRS required an exemption to the Internal Market Act (IMA), but Holyrood failed to apply for this in a timely manner. Now after significant investment the scheme including glass will not go ahead.

The UK government, whose own DRS for England excludes glass, will only grant an exception to the IMA if glass is excluded in Scotland.

The Scottish DRS has been delayed to March 2024 after it was initially due to launch in August this year.