Delivering Scotland’s circular economy: A Route Map to 2025 and beyond

Overview

Through this consultation we set out our proposals for a Route Map to 2025, our strategic plan to deliver Scotland’s zero waste and circular economy ambitions. It is the start of a national conversation on how we deliver our vision for the circular economy.

We are seeking your views on the feasibility and ambition of these proposals in order to reach our 2025 waste and recycling targets, and to achieve our long terms goal of net zero by 2045.

Read the consultation paper

Why your views matter

This consultation invites views on the proposed priorities and actions for the Route Map to 2025 and beyond. It is aimed at everyone who has a role to play: communities, businesses, the third sector, the public sector including local government, and the people and communities of Scotland.

It is the start of a national conversation on how we deliver our vision for the circular economy – and in doing so meeting our commitments in the Climate Change Plan, and securing the opportunities for investment and job creation in the circular economy in Scotland.

Our proposed priorities are to:

• Promote and support responsible production and consumption (including tackling consumption of single-use items and promoting reuse).
• Reduce food waste from households and businesses.
• Significantly improve recycling from households and businesses.
• Embed circular construction practices.
• Minimise the impact of disposal of waste that cannot be reused or recycled.
• Strengthen our data and evidence, sustainable procurement practices, and skills and training.

What happens next

We will undertake analysis of consultation responses in autumn 2022 in order to understand the full range of views on proposals, and identify any additional actions that have not been considered in this consultation.

Alongside the consultation, we are convening a panel of independent experts to estimate the likely impact of each package of interventions. This will better quantify how our current and proposed measures will help us reach our waste and recycling targets.

Finally, we will conduct cost-benefit analysis for proposals, to the extent that this is achievable where the full package of measures is still to be developed or is still to be investigated. We will take into account the feasibility and affordability of any proposals, including the costs and benefits it may generate for Scottish households and businesses, before taking forward any measures.

Based on consultation feedback and the additional evidence outlined above, we will further refine proposals alongside ongoing assessment of impacts, with a view to publishing the full Route Map in early 2023.