Environment

Nine Tesco stores in Scotland will introduce reverse-vending machines to encourage customers to make recycling easier for its customers.

The machines, which will be rolled out in January, reward customers with Clubcard points for recycling bottles and cans.

The machines will use spectrometry and photography to identify objects. They will also shred and compact the waste to help reduce the number of journeys required to collect it.

Reverse vending machines will initially be rolled out at Tesco stores in Alloa, Glasgow, Dalkeith, South Queensferry, Port Glasgow, Irvine, Ayr and Perth.

If the machines prove to be successful, Tesco will look at introducing them to other stores.

The Scottish government announced yesterday (7 October) a 3% improvement in recycling rates to 32%.

Scottish environment secretary Richard Lochhead said: "The latest figures indicate that household waste growth has stopped, and I also understand we are fast approaching the sale of the 200,000th composting bin in Scotland.