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Under the Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations 2020, consumers are only entitled to have their deposit redeemed if they present a container that is identifiable as a scheme article, intact, empty, and not soiled.

Retailers and other return-point operators are required to retain scheme articles they have been accepted for collection by the scheme administrator, Circularity Scotland Ltd (CSL) or their agent. Once collected the containers are the responsibility of CSL.

We are considering measures to address concerns that have been raised by industry, including representatives of the food delivery industry, regarding the obligation to provide a takeback service for scheme articles sold online under Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).

As part of this work, the Scottish Government has engaged with a range of stakeholders, including representatives of Deliveroo, Just Eat, and Uber Eats on 20 October 2022. The same organisations previously met with the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity on 6 October 2022. Representatives of the food delivery industry also attended an online takeback workshop hosted by the Scottish Government on 17 February 2022.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-12241 on‎ 1 December 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-12239 on‎ 1 December 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

The obligation to provide a takeback service for scheme articles sold online under Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is structured so that retailers can work together to put in place a third-party solution to collect containers; this should minimise the number of additional journeys required.

We are aware that some in industry have been raising concerns on this specific point; this is one factor we are considering as we examine opportunities to streamline the way in which retailers discharge this obligation, as set out in the answer to S6W-12236 on 1 December 2022.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

The DRS Regulations allow return points to refuse returns where the number of containers is disproportionately greater than the number of containers that retailer would sell in an average single transaction. This will allow food delivery drivers to refuse such requests from customers.

We are aware of the emerging issues around single-use vaping products. We will be discussing this with our local authority partners, who have responsibility for providing advice on responsible disposal of waste in their area.

The Scottish Government has established the National Strategy for Economic Transformation Delivery Board to oversee the successful implementation of our economic strategy. As part of the Delivery Board’s work, it will engage with key delivery partners like Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) in driving a ‘Team Scotland’ approach to transforming the Scottish economy. A recent example is the involvement of ZWS in the Delivery Board’s Green Economy Jobs deep dive with delivery partners to explore what is being done to secure green jobs in Scotland.

Neither SEPA nor the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service hold any central statistics that would indicate the number of fires caused in waste or recycling facilities by lithium contained within disposable vaping products being crushed.

Scottish Government is aware of this issue, and through our regular sector forum with stakeholders across the Scottish resources and waste sector, discussions are ongoing to look at what more can be done to build understanding and tackle this issue in partnership with the sector.

The Scottish Government is aware of the environmental impact of single-use disposable vapes. Along with the other UK administrations, we are working on reforms to the extended producer responsibility system for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), including vapes, to make it easier for consumers to dispose of WEEE more responsibly.

We have not carried out any specific assessment of the environmental impact of single-use disposable vapes.