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The Scottish government's newly created Zero Waste Think Tank met for the first time on March 26, chaired by Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment Richard Lochhead.
The group, announced in a parliamentary statement on waste in January, brings together a number of experts to discuss the best ways in which Scotland can move towards a zero waste society.
Mr Lochhead said: 'In January, I announced a number of policies which will improve waste prevention, further increase recycling rates and reduce waste going to landfill. The Think Tank brings together a wide range of expertise, all with a common goal – moving Scotland towards becoming a zero waste society'.
The membership of the Zero Waste Think Tank includes government, environmental agencies, universities and industry.
Plans for a zero waste Scotland, including tough new targets to increase recycling and reduce landfill, were outlined in January by the Scottish Government. In a statement to Parliament, as well as announcing that £7.5 million is to be invested in community recycling projects over the next three years, Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead proposed to consult on new targets including:
• the amount of municipal waste being recycled or composted is to be increased to 60% by 2020 and a new target of 70% by 2025
• landfill from municipal waste is to be reduced to 5% by 2025; and no more than 25% of municipal waste is to be used to generate energy by 2025 and large, inefficient incinerators are to be rejected
• keeping the existing challenging target of stopping the growth in municipal waste by 2010