A NEW INITIATIVE in Ireland will see a dramatic reduction in litter and an increase in the amount of plastic bottles and aluminium and steel cans we recycle.
The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) has been introduced this month which will add a small deposit fee on cans and bottles that can be refunded to the customer once the container is returned.
From February 1, when you buy a drink in a plastic bottle, aluminium or steel can that features the Re-turn logo, you pay a small refundable deposit in addition to the price of the drink. When you’re finished, simply bring back your empty, undamaged drinks container to any participating shop or supermarket nationwide to get your full deposit refund.
To prevent waste, for a limited period, from February 1 there will be some stock of plastic bottles and cans that may not feature the Re-turn logo. Should consumers be charged a deposit on these drinks containers, please be assured that you will get your deposit back when you return to RVM Deposit Return Points nationwide
For drink containers with a 150ml to 500ml capacity, the deposit fee is 15c. For containers sized between 500mls and 3 litres containers, it costs 25c.
With the launch of the Deposit Return Scheme, Ireland has joined the likes of Germany and Sweden, who operate similar schemes. The scheme aligns with other circular economy initiatives in Ireland that aim to move away from the ‘take, make and dispose’ culture to one of returning valuable materials and keeping them in the economy for as long as possible.
Currently, Ireland uses 1.9 billion bottles and cans a year. As things stand, not enough of these are being recycled, meaning we are behind on EU recycling targets for 2025 and 2030.
Deposit return schemes have been successful in reducing litter across different countries, with the simple incentive motivating more consumers to recycle. You can still use your green bin to recycle drinks containers, but the return scheme is a more effective way of recycling. It creates a closed loop system that guarantees the proper return and recycling of plastic, aluminium and steel into new drinks containers.
To celebrate the launch of the Deposit Return Scheme, we’ve put together a quiz to test your knowledge of all things recycling. It will also teach the do’s and don’ts of taking part in the return scheme.
Find out more about the Deposit Return Scheme here.
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