Scotland Set to Lead on 'Zero Waste' Society

The Scottish Government aims to create a 'zero waste' society, and the supermarket chain Tesco are set to helping them to achieve this aim.

Scottish Tesco stores are set to pioneer a 'reverse vending machine' whereby customers are rewarded for returning packing and recyclable products in in-store machines. The machine is capable of identifying and sorting items, and it is believed many vehicle journeys will be saved as the machine compresses and shreds the waste on site.

At the recent waste conference in Glasgow, Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said:

"I am delighted to see that Tesco shares my vision of a 'Zero Waste Scotland' and is seeking to introduce reverse vending in Scotland. Reverse vending has terrific potential to improve our rates of recycling and evidence from Scandinavia and Canada shows that it has reaped real rewards."

The Scottish Government remains committed to cutting growth of municipal waste by 2010.

Science Committee Criticises Government for Encouraging 'Throw Away' Culture

The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee yesterday published a report criticising the Government for doing too little to encourage recycling amongst businesses. The Committee encourage the Government to amend waste targets, shifting the focus from reducing the weight of domestic waste sent to landfill to addressing commercial and industrial waste. Producers must be encouraged to take responsibility for the amount of waste generated by their products, with financial penalties to encourage greater efforts amongst businesses to reduce this.

The report also calls on the Government to introduce variable VAT rates, reducing VAT on projects which use sustainable raw materials. The Committee also suggest the Government examine the VAT levied on repairs to products, encouraging consumers to repair electronic goods, for example, rather than throwing them away when broken. Electronic goods can often cost as much to repair as the same product would cost to buy anew.

The Committee expressed disappointment that the Government is cutting funding to waste-reduction programmes, such as the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), in 2008/09. Lord O'Neill, Chair of the Sub-Committee on Waste Reduction said: "This sends out entirely the wrong message at a time when reducing commercial waste both for economic and environmental reasons is more important than ever."

The Committee are clear in their recommendation that Government focus must be on waste reduction, as well as re-use and recycling, to provide a long-term framework in which businesses are incentivised to improve the sustainability of their own practices.

Read full report: Waste Reduction (20 August 2008)

Recycling "as complicated as Sudoku"

Researchers at the University of Sussex have concluded that recycling household waste is a complicated as completing a Sudoku puzzle. 

The scientists conducted a study into the effort and complexity of recycling; monitoring participants' brainwaves as they sorted their waste into various categories. Dr David Lewis, who ran the study, commented that "The whole process is so confusing that even hardened and dedicated recyclers still get it wrong."

The number of British people who recycle their waste has tripled in the past two years. More people would be willing to recycle, research suggests, if it was made easier, an incentive was offered, and manufacturers were more responsible with packaging.

At the BES we are committed to 'greening' our activities; including comprehensive recycling throughout our offices, composting our organic waste on-site and measures to improve the energy and water efficiency of our buildings. 

We are also trying to ensure that delegates travel as sustainably as possible to our forthcoming Annual Meeting. To find out about opportunities for car sharing, visit our Facebook group (log-in required).