Ditching disposables: Zero Waste Scotland trials reveal money and emissions savings from single-use bans

25 Jan 2023 --- Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) calls on hospitality players to reduce single-use packaging after a pilot scheme saw a huge fall in the use of common disposable items, emissions, and money saved for businesses. 

The organization’s Ditching Disposables initiative, which launched in 2021, saw several methods aimed at reducing the use of disposables trialed across multiple businesses. 

ZWS targeted its scheme at businesses based in Edinburgh’s Portobello and Joppa suburbs. 

After 12 months, the pilot identified six key steps businesses could take to slash single-use waste. These include switching sauce sachets for refillable bottles, charging for single-use cups and offering a reusable alternative, and making straws available on request only.

Other measures include putting napkins on tables rather than elsewhere, offering reusable takeaway containers for a deposit, and only making stirrers available on request.

Critics say the scientific evidence of reusable benefits is not clear and that the hospitality sector is being unfairly targetted.“The Ditching Disposables scheme has been a huge success, proving that with a few simple changes, hospitality businesses can dramatically reduce their single-use waste,” says a ZWS spokesperson. 

Scotland’s fight against waste 
Scotland banned the manufacture and supply of some of the most problematic plastic (including compostable plastic) single-use items on June 1 2022.  

The Ditching Disposables study was intended to demonstrate steps the hospitality sector could take as it shifts away from single-use items to reusable options.

Throughout 2021, Civerinos and The Cake and Candy Tearoom, which were involved in the trial, cut sauce sachet use by 99%, while ShrimpWreck and Malvarosa reduced napkin use by 64%.

Overall, the pilot led to a monthly saving of 266kg C02eq and 16,273 single-use items, saving the businesses money over the long term.

“We know that two massive barriers these businesses face when adopting more sustainable practices are time and money. But this scheme demonstrates that time invested in implementing these small changes can substantially affect the environment and business finances. Most of them are incredibly quick and easy to implement,” says the ZWS spokesperson. 

“As Scotland continues to move away from a throwaway culture to a more circular economy, initiatives like our Ditching Disposables study are vital in showing solutions are available and can be implemented successfully.”

Political backing, industry concern 
Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater of the Scottish Green Party has praised the trial results, saying: “We are committed to reducing waste across Scotland’s economy, and these results show that small changes can go a long way in doing that.” 

“The best alternative to single-use plastic is always reusable items, and I hope the findings of this pilot will encourage businesses to ditch disposables wherever possible,” she continues.  

“To help accelerate progress, we will be introducing mandatory charges for single-use coffee cups and are bringing forward an ambitious Bill that will support Scotland’s transition to a circular economy and increase reuse and recycling rates.”

However, the UK’s Foodservice Packaging Association (FPA) tells PackagingInsights it is still looking at the trial’s findings. Last year, the FPA complained that Scotland’s ban on single-use items would destroy all existing packaging stocks at the time – a “wasteful action,” in the association’s words. 

Recently, the ban on single-use packaging cutlery, plates, and trays specifically for the foodservice industry in England led the FPA to accuse the government of undemocratic and unscientific behavior. 

Some LCA studies have shown that reusable packaging formats could increase emissions and material usage compared to single-use options. 

By Louis Gore-Langton

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