The Act Part 5 – Other Climate Change Provisions Recyclable waste: facilities for deposit etc.
161.Section 80 enables the Scottish Ministers to make detailed provision, by regulations, requiring persons specified in those regulations to provide facilities for the deposit of waste, and requiring that waste deposited in such facilities be collected by an authorised person and, as far as practicable, recycled. Some of the detail which may be included in the regulations is specified in subsection (2), but without prejudice to the generality of the power in subsection (1). “Waste” and “recycling” are terms which have already been defined in section 78(4). “Authorised person” is defined in subsection (5) in terms of section 34(3) of the 1990 Act, and includes local authorities and holders of waste management licences.
162.The power this section grants could be used to require offices to have facilities to collect paper for recycling, for example. Such facilities might be no more than a box, but more complex facilities, such as can-crushers, could also be required, as appropriate. This section could not be used to require facilities to be provided at temporary public events, which are covered by section 81 (see section 80(4)). Subsection (2)(b) may be used to restrict the categories of person who must be allowed to use the facilities, such as staff only in an office environment.
163.Subsection (2)(d) may be used to require an authorised person to remove the waste deposited, for example where the person providing the facilities could otherwise encounter difficulties in getting the waste uplifted. If this power were exercised, subsection (2)(e) could be used to set charges to finance this collection, and the recycling of the relevant material.
164.It is very likely that a system of enforcement, including offences and penalties, would be required to ensure that facilities were provided and used properly, but this will be a matter for regulations. Relevant powers are contained in subsection (2)(h) and (i).