Environmental campaigners have hailed a "huge step" towards the introduction of a deposit return scheme for bottles in the UK.

The Scottish Government announced on Friday that it has commissioned detailed work to explore how such a scheme might operate in the country.

Research will be conducted into various design options for returning a small charge to consumers for each bottle they recycle.

In Norway, each 500ml drinks bottle has a deposit equivalent to 10p, with larger bottles carrying a 25p deposit.

Figures show 96% of bottles are returned for recycling in the country, at which point consumers are repaid the small fee.


Germany and Finland are among 35 countries and states to have similar initiatives.

It is hoped a deposit return scheme in Scotland could see a huge clean-up of the country's streets, beaches and seas.

Estimates by the Recycle Now campaign reveal nearly 16 million of the 35 million plastic bottles used in the UK every day are not recycled.

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The Scottish government has asked Zero Waste Scotland to consider design options as well as the costs and benefits of implementing a deposit return scheme.

Their findings will then be put to a public consultation before ministers make a final decision on whether to push ahead with such a recycling project.

Members of the Scottish Parliament have previously travelled to Norway to study the scheme there, while in 2013 a pilot programme was introduced at Heriot-Watt University's campus in Edinburgh.

Holyrood's environment secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: "Clearly there are a number of issues for the Scottish Government to consider when it comes to deposit return schemes that can only be addressed by carrying out work to understand the design of a potential system.

"I have asked Zero Waste Scotland to start this work."

Representatives from the packaging industry and retailers, as well as environmental groups, will be involved in the work.

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Drinks giant Coca-Cola has previously voiced its support for the trial of a deposit return scheme in Scotland, having reversed its earlier opposition to such a programme.

Commenting on Friday's announcement, Willie Mackenzie, oceans expert at Greenpeace UK, said: "This is a huge step towards the introduction of a deposit return scheme in Scotland, which would have a real impact in reducing the amount of plastic ending up on our beaches, streets and in the sea.

"With massive public support - almost 80% of Scots - and collection rates as high as 95% for deposit schemes in other countries, it's a win-win for the Scottish government."

The idea of a deposit return scheme in the UK was highlighted as part of Sky Ocean Rescue, which launched earlier this year.

The Westminster Government is poised to look at introducing deposits on bottles in England, with an expert working group established to look at new ways to cut litter and increase recycling.

A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "We have made great progress in boosting recycling rates for plastic bottles with their collection for recycling rising from less than 13,000 tonnes in 2000 to over 330,000 tonnes in 2015.



"As part of our national litter strategy launched in April we are considering further the practical ways in which we can deal with the worst kinds of litter, including plastic bottles."

More than eight million tonnes of plastic is thrown away around the world each year and washed out to sea.