- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 April 2023
-
Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it will put in place to encourage consumers to dispose of nitrous oxide canisters responsibly.
Answer
A range of information and advice is available from Zero Waste Scotland and local authorities to help consumers recycle and dispose of waste responsibly, including gas canisters. Householders can seek specific advice from their local authority on recycling and disposal options in their local area.
Nitrous oxide canisters should not be disposed of in residual waste (‘black bag’) bins as they may explode if they are crushed, increasing the risk of injury or fire. Consumers of nitrous oxide canisters should follow advice provided by suppliers or contact their local authority to check that these items are accepted at their nearest Household Recycling Centre, where gas canisters can be safely stored and disposed of by a specialist waste contractor that has the facility to recycle them safely.
We will continue to work closely with the waste sector to consider any further advice required to support safe disposal of nitrous oxide canisters.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 April 2023
-
Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether weight is the most appropriate metric for measuring quantities of waste, and, if this is not the case, whether (a) climate change coefficient, (b) environmental impact, (c) scarcity, (d) recyclability and (e) social benefit is being considered as an alternative metric.
Answer
As set out in our 2022 Waste and Circular Economy Route Map consultation, we intend to set new circular economy targets for the period to 2030, which go beyond weight-based criteria.
We must ensure that any future targets correspond to our Environment Strategy and overall vision for a circular economy, alongside the four underpinning principles we set out in the consultation. These key principles included focus on achieving net zero by 2045 and the delivery of a sustainable international material footprint.
Our final Route Map is due for publication later in 2023.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 April 2023
-
Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the health and safety risk of nitrous oxide canisters being found in Material Recycling Facilities and Energy from Waste plants.
Answer
The Waste Industry Safety and Health (WISH) Forum develops and promotes health and safety guidance for the waste management industry with input from industry experts and other bodies, such as the Health and Safety Executive.
Existing WISH guidance offers advice on eliminating or reducing the risk of serious injury associated with the handling, storage and disposal of unwanted or unidentifiable gas cylinders (‘orphaned’ cylinders) that may appear in the waste stream.
WISH has also advised that it is developing new guidance on how Material Recovery Facilities can address the dangers of gas cylinder and aerosol explosions.
Following discussion at the Waste and Resources Sector Forum, waste sector stakeholders are considering any other actions that could be taken to address key fire safety risks. We will continue to work closely with the sector to consider any further actions required to ensure safe recycling and disposal of nitrous oxide canisters.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 April 2023
-
Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to reduce carbon emissions from clinical waste in the NHS.
Answer
I refer the member to the NHS Scotland Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy 2022-2026 which sets out the Scottish Government’s plans to help reduce carbon emissions from clinical waste in NHS Scotland. This publication is available at: NHS Scotland climate emergency and sustainability strategy: 2022-2026 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Specifically, the strategy sets out that each Health Board should set appropriate targets for reducing the volume of clinical waste it produces through measures including; greater use of reusable items, improvements to waste segregation and increased recycling of recyclable materials. The Scottish Government will review the need for a national target for clinical waste reduction.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 April 2023
-
Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to adopt a zoning approach to recycling and waste collection in urban areas.
Answer
Commercial waste zoning was included in our consultations on the Circular Economy Bill and the Waste Route Map and we are considering options in light of consultation responses and further research.
The Programme for Government committed the Scottish Government to bring forward a Circular Economy Bill in this Parliamentary year, at which point the content of the Bill will be made public. Our final Route Map is due for publication later in 2023.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 April 2023
-
Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to encouraging local authorities to issue public bonds to attract investment for net zero projects.
Answer
Local authorities are independent democratically elected bodies with their own powers and responsibilities. As long as they act lawfully, it is up to each local authority how it manages its day-to-day business and decision making processes. Ultimately, it is for locally elected representatives to make local decisions on how best to deliver services to and outcomes for their local communities, including decisions on borrowing to attract investment for net zero projects. Any borrowing by local authorities, whether it’s through the public works loans board or through the issuance of bonds, is for local authorities to determine affordability themselves, subject to the conditions of their prudential borrowing regime.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2023
-
Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how it is improving data gathering in relation to health outcomes.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2023
-
Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 25 April 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the 2019 Full Business Case for the Deposit Return Scheme needs to be updated in light of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, recent inflationary pressures and increased energy prices, and, if it considers that it does need updating, when that update will be carried out.
Answer
The Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Addendum for Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme were updated when the amending Regulations were introduced in December 2021. Any further changes to the Deposit Return Scheme Regulations will have the appropriate impact assessment work carried out during the drafting process in the same way.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 April 2023
-
Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 25 April 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what funding it has provided to (a) businesses within the reuse and remanufacturing sector and (b) any other businesses or organisations, for specific projects to improve their own circularity, in order to improve circularity within Scotland, in each of the last five years.
Answer
The Low Carbon Manufacturing Challenge Fund (LCMCF) is a new Fund operated by Scottish Enterprise providing capital investment of £26m over five years.
At 17 April, £150,000 has been provided to one project supporting a business which helps to improve its own circularity via the re-use of energy.
We also support Zero Waste Scotland who provide a range of support and advice for businesses looking to develop circular business ideas.
Details of the funding provided by Zero Waste Scotland are as follows.
| | £m 2018-19 | £m 2019-20 | £m 2020-21 | £m 2021-22 | £m 2022-23 | £m Total |
Circular Economy Investment Fund | 2.34 | 2.21 | 1.5 | 3.25 | 2.14 | 11.44 |
Circular Economy Business Support | 1.57 | 2.34 | 0.9 | 1.11 | 0.45 | 6.37 |
Green Islands | 0 | 0 | 0.23 | 0.02 | 0 | 0.25 |
Revolve | 0 | 0 | 0.08 | 0.01 | 0.07 | 0.16 |
Construction Advice and Support Service | 0 | 0.08 | 0.08 | 0 | 0 | 0.16 |
Annual Total | 3.91 | 4.63 | 2.79 | 4.39 | 2.66 | 18.38 |
ZWS estimate that approximately £2.16 million of the Circular Economy Investment Fund support detailed in the table relates to re-use and re-manufacturing.
The Circular Economy Business Support programme provided SMEs with tailored, expert, one-to-one consultancy support.
Green Islands funding supported the provision of dispensing and other equipment that enabled customers to obtain grocery products in reusable containers
The Revolve programme provided direct funding to support reuse organisations
The Construction Advice and Support Service supported Scottish construction businesses to become more sustainable and circular in their day to day working.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 April 2023
-
Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 25 April 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the impact of any stretched local authority budgets on the ability to deliver waste collection and recycling services.
Answer
The Scottish Government has not carried out analysis on any association between local authority budgets and delivering waste collection and recycling services.
The Scottish Government has provided an additional £793 million to local government in 2023-24, which is a real terms increase of £376 million or 3 per cent. However, it is for locally elected representatives to manage the allocation of resources and the level of services that are delivered to their local communities, taking account of local needs and priorities.
Scottish Government continues to engage and support local authorities with waste and recycling operations. This includes our £70 million Recycling Improvement Fund, to support local authorities in improving recycling infrastructure and deliver modernised services.
