McArthur: SNP's waste reduction strategy "a complete mess"

Responding to the Scottish Government's draft Circular Economy Strategy, published while Biffa separately sues the Scottish Government in court for £166m in damages over the collapsed deposit return scheme, Scottish Liberal Democrat climate emergency spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP said:

"The SNP Government will soon start sending 100 truckloads of waste a day to England to meet their own landfill ban - a loophole so big you could drive a fleet of rubbish trucks through it.

"Coupled with the collapse of the botched deposit return scheme, it shows that their strategy for waste, recycling and reuse is in a complete mess.

"Scotland deserves better. Wherever you are, every vote for the Scottish Liberal Democrats on the second peach ballot will deliver change with fairness at its heart."

On the court case he added:

"If this legal bid succeeds, tens of millions of taxpayers' money will have to be handed over for nothing in exchange.

"Deposit return schemes have operated successfully around the world. There was no good reason for Scotland to be any different.

“In the end, however, DRS was just the latest victim of those who enjoy indulging in constitutional spats. Businesses were caught in the middle, strung along, incurring costs and left to navigate the uncertainty. Now it's the public who could be left to pay the price."