Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in Scottish Highlands and Islands

Producer fees under the EPR schemes will be used to reimburse local authorities (LAs) to cover their costs for providing waste management services. These costs may vary based on the circumstances of the different LAs.

The five Highlands and Islands local authorities (LAs) – Orkney Council, Shetland Council, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council), Argyll and Bute Council and the Highland Council – cover predominantly remote and very rural areas, in terms of their population density and accessibility [1,2]. This presents them with unique challenges and considerations in delivering a waste service, which may be distinct to other rural and remote LAs in the UK. 

To advance the evidence base on such, and in support of a just transition [3], Zero Waste Scotland commissioned research to explore the potential impacts of implementing packaging, WEEE and batteries EPR schemes in the five focus authorities.

Phase 1 (Published July 2024, covering December 2023-March 2024)

Phase 1 presented key findings from a qualitative research study in the five Highlands and Islands local authority (LA) ‘focus areas’: producing visualisations of waste flows and waste infrastructure for comparative understanding of considerations which may be distinct from other rural and remote LAs in the UK, and exploring opportunities to deliver a just transition for such LAs and the communities they serve. 

The report covers: 

• Development of a research methodology.
• Analysis of key findings from a series of interviews and a workshop with stakeholders from the focus areas, supplemented with desk-based research and contractor experience of UK waste management systems.
• Maps and schematics visualising waste management services and waste streams that are likely to be impacted by the three EPR schemes, in each LA area, highlighting key pathways, processes and challenges.
• Conclusions summarising identified stakeholder perceptions on a number of potential impacts that are unique or have the potential to have a greater impact in the focus LAs due to their specific characteristics.
• Opportunities to leverage EPR to achieve a just transition for communities in the focus areas are highlighted.
• Recommendations include the need for future research assessments of gaps in local infrastructure and transport capacities, suitability, and availability, and a further quantitative study to consider the local and unique challenges.
• Opportunities to leverage EPR to support a just transition for island and rural communities.
• Recommendations for further research, including on infrastructure, transport availability, and a quantitative assessment of costs.

Phase 2: Quantifying opportunities and challenges (Published January 2026, covering 2024–2025)

To build on Phase 1 and verify early insights, Zero Waste Scotland commissioned Phase 2, to advance understanding through quantitative and enhanced qualitative data gathering and analysis, and incorporate two comparable mainland local authorities (LAs) to support verification and comparative analysis.

The Phase 2 report presents a summary of findings of the research and should be read in conjunction with the EPR in the Scottish rural and island areas (Phase 2) Methodology report. The findings can help inform waste and circular economy policies including, but not limited to, EPR schemes. They can also help to support public bodies in carrying out duties under the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018, including conducting island communities impact assessments. Reflective learnings provide insights for the design of future data gathering exercises involving Scottish LAs.  

The report covers:

• Development of a quantitative methodology to build on Phase 1.
• Analysis of newly gathered data on collection costs, transport, and access to treatment infrastructure.
• Maps showing waste flows, travel distances and reliance on ferries across all focus and comparator authorities.
• Comparison of challenges faced by the five Highlands and Islands LAs with two similar rural mainland authorities.
• Conclusions outlining where costs and operational pressures are most acute.
• Opportunities to ensure a fair and effective EPR system for rural and island communities.
• Recommendations for improving data quality, supporting future policy work, how to consider infrastructure and transport needs, and conducting similar research in other contexts such as the most urban LAs.