Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill
This Bill seeks to introduce measures to help Scotland develop a circular economy. This includes reducing waste and increasing penalties for littering from vehicles.
The Bill includes the following provisions:
- Circular economy strategy: placing a duty on Scottish Ministers to publish or refresh a circular economy strategy at least every 5 years.
- Circular economy targets: developing statutory targets for the Scottish Ministers.
- Restrictions on the disposal of unsold consumer goods: providing powers to limit the disposal of unsold goods.
- Charges for single-use items: creating a power to set a minimum charge for certain throwaway items.
- Householder’s duty of care in relation to waste: making it a criminal offence for a householder to breach their existing duties of care under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, in relation to the transfer of waste, and creating a new fixed penalty regime to enforce these duties.
- Household waste: requiring local authorities to comply with a code of practice on collection and recycling and giving local authorities a package of new responsibilities and powers, including powers for the Scottish Ministers to set recycling targets for local authorities.
- Littering from vehicles: establishing a new civil penalty regime that will make the keeper of a vehicle liable to pay a civil penalty charge in respect of a littering offence committed from that vehicle.
- Enforcement powers in respect of certain environmental offences: improving enforcement against fly-tipping and other waste crime through a power allowing the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (“SEPA”) and local authorities to seize vehicles involved in specified waste crime.
The Bill is currently progressing through the process to become law.
Read more on the Bill and its progress on the Scottish Parliaments website - Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill – Bills (proposed laws) – Scottish Parliament | Scottish Parliament Website