Scottish Government Faces £166m Lawsuit Over Scrapped Recycling Scheme

Biffa claims negligent misrepresentation by ministers led to costly investment in a failed deposit return initiative.

Waste management firm Biffa is suing the Scottish Government for £166 million, alleging it was misled into investing in a now-cancelled deposit return scheme.
The proposed scheme, intended to boost recycling by charging deposits on drink containers, was scrapped after UK Government restrictions on including glass bottles.
Biffa claims former Green minister Lorna Slater gave assurances about the scheme's viability without disclosing the need for UK Government approval.
The Scottish Government argues Biffa took a commercial risk by investing and denies any duty of care to the company.
A court ruling on whether the case can proceed is expected soon, with Biffa seeking compensation for lost profits and investments.