Circular Economy Bill can help cut waste mountain - Lorna Slater

You could stack mountains out of Edinburgh's waste, with our city alone producing 200,000 tonnes worth of household waste every year. That’s before you even factor in the impact of business.

Our sanitation workers do a fantastic job of keeping our city and streets clean. But it would be much better for them and for the rest of us if we reduced the huge volume of waste they had to deal with in the first place.

The reality is that every single product we use has an environmental impact. The more we use, the greater the impact. That’s why it’s so crucial that we cut down on our waste and build a sustainable future.

There are lots of positive choices that we can all make: using reusable cups when getting a drink, bringing a bag to the shops rather than taking a new plastic one every time we shop and ensuring we recycle where possible.

These are all important steps that we can and should make. But the biggest changes can only come from businesses and governments.

That's why I was so proud to publish the Circular Economy Bill. This is a bold and positive strategy to curb overconsumption, increase fines for those that fly tip and reset our relationship with litter and waste.

At present, far too much of our economy is based on disposable and throw-away goods that break too easily and all too often have a terrible climate footprint.

In comparison, a circular economy is one where items are built to last and where goods can be reused, rebuilt and shared.

There are already lots of fantastic businesses and social enterprises all over Edinburgh who are leading the way by reusing goods and giving a new lease of life to items that would otherwise be thrown away.

Take the Remakery in Edinburgh, for which I was a trustee before I was a Minister. They do a great job of repurposing old electronics and other goods and giving them new homes.

In 2022 alone the Remakery collected 39 tonnes of used electronics, with 1300 pieces of equipment being refurbished and 154 of those being gifted to people and families who are in need. Not bad for a single store in Leith.

It's just one of the many businesses and charities in our city that are leading the way and making a difference to their community and to our planet.

I want every business to take a similarly considerate approach to the waste they are producing. That's why my Bill will stop the scandal of companies destroying unsold goods and ensure that they make it into the hands of people who need them.

By taking these kinds of steps and working with councils, like Edinburgh we can reduce the waste mountains and ensure a cleaner, greener and better future for our city and for Scotland.

Lorna Slater is the minister for green skills, circular economy and biodiversity