Johnstone councillor urges Scottish Government and firms to meet in the middle after delay to bottle deposit return scheme

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A Johnstone councillor is urging businesses and the Scottish Government to work out their differences following a delay to the launch of a bottle and can deposit return scheme.The scheme was due to start in July and is designed to reduce littering by introducing a mandatory but refundable 20p deposit on all bottles and cans sold in shops.People can get their 20p back when empty items are returned to the retailer to be recycled.But the initiative - set to be a UK first - has now been delayed until August next year after an independent review concluded it was so extensive that meeting the original target would not be practical. Don't miss the latest headlines from around Renfrewshire.

Sign up to our newsletters here.The scheme will require contracts with thousands of firms, tens of thousands of return points, pickups for online orders and the processing of two billion containers per year.Large corporations such as Tesco and Coca-Cola are understood to have pressed hard for a delay.Councillor Andy Steel, who represents Johnstone South and Elderslie, said he became frustrated by the news after coming across a large pile of beer cans while out litter picking in his ward.He said he hoped all parties could come together to ensure the scheme is introduced as fast as possible.“Stopping cans and bottles being launched into the bushes in the first place is the best way to stop damage being done to the environment," said Councillor Steel.“Encouraging folk to recycle with a cash reward is the fastest way to do that.“If councils can’t hire the staff needed to address this issue it must be dealt with another way.