No 'Bottle'?

Kat Jones (director of Action to Protect Rural Scotland) says deposit schemes for drinks containers are currently used in circa 50 locations in the world. The UK itself had a returnable deposit scheme, in the 1970s and 1980s. These schemes are devised to markedly reduce the numbers of cans and bottles being dumped on the streets. A deposit scheme could result in 90% or more cans and bottles being returned. Jones notes that, when a scheme was originally advocated for Scotland, it was supported by all 5 parties in their Parliament. She now feels the much-delayed legislation has become a victim in the battle to determine who wields power in the devolved assembly (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jun/02/scotland-glass-bottle-deposit-politicians-devolution). The Scots are now told, they can have a deposit scheme for cans and plastics, but not for glass bottles. This is because 'business voices' have prevailed in England, stopping the Westminster Parliament including glass in the scheme for England and Wales. Glass, of course, takes more energy to produce, than plastics and cans. Broken glass is also dangerous to both humans and other animals. By focusing the sun's rays, glass can also cause wild fires. It consequently seems perverse not to include glass bottles in returnable deposit schemes across the entire UK. Just get on with it and stop playing politics!