The Scottish Government will ask for an independent review to assess the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on its deposit return scheme (DRS).

The DRS was due to start in July 2022 to make it easier for people to recycle their bottles and cans.

Customers would pay a 20p deposit on single-use containers and get that money when they return their empty bottles and cans.

The scheme has already been delayed by a year due to the pandemic and there are fears that the industry may not have enough time to prepare.

Answering a question from MSP Stewart Stevenson, environment minister, Ben Macpherson, said: “The  Government recognises the unique and significant pressures that Covid-19 and EU exit have placed on industry over the past year, including the businesses with responsibility for implementing Scotland’s DRS.”

He said the industry had made good progress towards implementing the scheme, but the  Government was “committed to closely monitor the impact of the pandemic on implementation of a DRS”.

Given the past year’s disruption, the independent review would assess the impact of the pandemic on the scheme’s start date.

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