A major new draft strategy to boost Scotland’s circular economy has been launched, setting out plans to cut waste, grow green jobs, and keep valuable materials in use for longer.
The Circular Economy Strategy, now open for public consultation, outlines how reusing, repairing, and recycling goods more efficiently could support communities, reduce carbon emissions, and drive sustainable economic growth.
The draft proposals focus on five key sectors, including construction, textiles, and food and aim to transform the way Scotland consumes and disposes of resources by 2030.
Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin said the shift is vital in the fight against climate change, and could bring lasting benefits for both households and businesses.
“Reducing, reusing and recycling materials has a huge role to play in Scotland’s response to tackling the climate crisis,” she said.
“It also brings huge benefits to households and communities, from lowering the cost of items and creating new jobs to cutting the amount of litter on our streets.”
The plan includes measures to increase reuse of building materials, encourage sustainable alternatives to fast fashion, and expand repurposing and recycling of electric vehicle batteries.
It also proposes new approaches to cutting food waste, one of the most environmentally damaging forms of household waste.
The consultation will run for 12 weeks, closing on 13 January 2026, with the final strategy expected later that year.
Sector-specific roadmaps will be developed for the built environment, net zero infrastructure, textiles, and food, with transport to be covered in the upcoming Climate Change Plan.
Ms Martin said Scotland could lead the way in circular innovation by designing waste out of the system entirely.
“By supporting Scotland to move towards a culture where keeping materials and goods in use for as long as possible is the norm, we will also be able to drive economic growth by increasing the resilience of our supply chains and encouraging innovation,” she said.
“I urge everyone to take part.”
The Circular Economy Strategy is a legal requirement under the Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024 and builds on the 11 priority actions set out in Scotland’s Circular Economy and Waste Route Map to 2030.
The final strategy will include a national monitoring framework to inform future targets from 2027.
