Zero Waste Plan Consultation

Have your say and make your views on waste count... now.

What is the Zero Waste Plan?
The Scottish Government is developing a new Zero Waste Plan for Scotland to provide direction and guidance on key waste management issues that can support Scotland on the journey to a Zero Waste society. Zero Waste means reducing the unnecessary use of raw materials; re-using products where possible and recovering value from products when they reach the end of their lives either through recycling, composting or energy recovery. The ultimate goal is to eliminate the need for landfill altogether by recovering value from materials in the most sustainable way possible.

The Zero Waste Plan will be published in 2010 and feedback from anyone who might be affected by it, including businesses and organisations across Scotland, is welcomed until the deadline of November 13 2009. The feedback received will play an important part in determining the content of the plan. Visit www.scotland.gov.uk/zerowasteplan to find out more.

The Scottish Government has a vision of a Scotland which:

Promotes sustainable design
Prevents waste
Has high levels of recycling and composting
Seizes the economic, environmental and job opportunities arising from Zero Waste
Reduces landfill to a minimum
Has effective, efficient and co-ordinated delivery

What are the Key Issues for the Zero Waste Plan?

Being clear about everyone's roles and responsibilities.
Setting and meeting targets on prevention, reuse, recycling and composting, and setting caps on energy from waste and landfill.
Waste management and Climate Change.
Complying with the revised EU Waste Framework Directive and the Landfill Directive.
Delivery Options.
Improving waste data, to track progress and stimulate investment.
Better waste regulation.
Land-use planning for waste management.
Possible implementation of further Landfill Bans.

How might the Zero Waste Plan affect my business?
Businesses produce a substantial proportion of all waste arising in Scotland. The Zero Waste plan is therefore likely to impact on the way you manage your business waste. All businesses will need to play their part if we are to become a Zero Waste society as even small amounts of waste from one business can add up to a significant overall impact when we consider the thousands of businesses across Scotland.

Sustainable waste management within businesses does not necessarily involve increased costs. In fact it can result in cost savings because reducing and reusing materials in the workplace avoids the need to pay for waste disposal and reduces the initial cost of those materials. However we need to promote and share examples of best practice to ensure that what we currently see as 'the best' becomes the norm.

This is one reason why the Scottish Government wants businesses of all size and type who have ideas and opinions to share them through the consultation process to help ensure the Zero Waste Plan will be a success.

To find out more about the consultation and to provide your response to the consultation please visit www.scotland.gov.uk/zerowasteplan

If you would like to see your organisation appear on this page, please fill in our simple form to add your company.

Wallace House, 17-21 Maxwell Place,
Stirling, FK8 1JU
Tel: 01786 468 789 Fax: 01786 464 611