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THE NEW DEPOSIT-RETURN scheme is set to be rolled out this week.
The scheme, which is aimed at reducing litter and increasing recycling rates, will see a small extra charge added to the price of bottles and cans, which will be refunded to people if the container is returned.
It is being operated by not-for-profit organisation Re-turn.
The system is being adopted here as part of an EU-wide directive on single-use plastics. The directive sets a recycling target for plastic bottles of 77% by 2025, increasing to 90% by 2029.
Similar schemes are already operating in other EU member states, such as Germany, Norway and The Netherlands.
From 1 February, a 15c charge – which is seen as a ‘deposit’ – will be added to aluminium and steel cans and plastic bottles up to 500ml, while a 25c deposit will be added to those that are 500ml and over.
All eligible cans and bottles will display the Re-turn logo to identify that they are included in the scheme. The logo can be seen in the tweet below.
From 1 February, bring back your empty and undamaged plastic bottles and cans featuring the re-turn logo to participating shops and supermarkets nationwide, to get your full deposit refund back 💫
— Re-turn (@returnireland) January 22, 2024
Find out more about Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme at https://t.co/6wsRTQ8V7L 🙌… pic.twitter.com/sPKY2S9xlQ
The cans and bottles must be returned empty and undamaged. Re-turn recommends returning bottles with the caps on, because this means the cap is recycled too.
The cans and bottles can be returned to any retailer that sells drinks with the Re-turn logo – it doesn’t have to be the shop where you bought the products.
Glass bottles are currently not included in the scheme, as Ireland has a recycling rate of over 80% for glass and is surpassing recycling targets for the material.
Dairy products (milk cartons and yogurt drinks, for example) and any containers under 150ml or over three litres will also not be included in the scheme and should continue to be recycled as normal.
When a customer brings the drinks containers back to a store, they will have two return options: they can either hand them back manually over the counter or automatically using a reverse vending machine if the store has installed one.
When the bottles and cans are inserted into the machine, it will scan their barcode, confirm that they are part of the deposit-return scheme and issue a voucher for the amount of containers returned.
The voucher can then be presented at the till in store where they can be exchanged for cash or they can be used as store credit. The vouchers must be redeemed at the same retail outlet as the one where you have returned the bottles/cans.
According to Re-turn, larger supermarkets are more likely to have reverse vending machines, whereas smaller retailers will do manual returns.
SuperValu and Centra have invested €28 million to install the machines at 540 stores across the country ahead of the rollout of the scheme.
Aldi has installed reverse vending machines at all 161 of its stores nationwide, while Lidl has said that all of its stores will have two reverse vending machines.
An interactive map of locations throughout the country where drinks containers can be returned will be live on Re-turn’s website on 1 February.
Drinks containers can still be put in your green bin at home.
However, the scheme is being rolled out to encourage more people to recycle, and Re-turn is asking people to return the eligible drinks containers rather than putting them in their green bin.
According to Re-turn, over 60% of plastic bottles and cans are being collected for recycling through green bins in Ireland, meaning more than 30% are not collected, leading to increased littering.
“By placing a value on the drinks containers, we are incentivising consumers to return their bottles and cans in order to get their deposit back and discourage littering,” a spokesperson for the organisation said.
They described the scheme as “a circular economy initiative that aims to create a closed loop recycling system guaranteeing the material is returned and recycled into new drinks containers”.
Re-Turn CEO Ciaran Foley told RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne programme last week: “A really important part of being a separate collection is the quality of the recyclate. Currently all of the recycling material is mixed in. It can be contaminated.
“By separating out this plastic, we move from an 80% quality recyclate to a 98% quality recyclate, which allows us to recycle the bottles up to seven times,” he said.
While bottles with the logo will be appearing on shelves from 1 February, it is likely that they will be being sold alongside old stock without the logo in stores.
Producers have until 15 March to put the bottles with the logo in store, and retailers have until the end of May to sell the old stock.
As bottles without the Re-turn logo are not eligible in the scheme, they should be recycled normally.
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I recycle all my bottles and cans in my wheelie bins already. So will the waste companies reduce their charges now they will be emptying less ?? Don’t think so.. its a sham
@Mark Gannon: The problem is Mark you’re in the minority, only 12% of plastic bottles get recycled.
@Mark Gannon: In theory a deposit and return scheme is a nice green idea. But is it actually what it says on the tin? I think most people assume what goes in our green bin is sorted and recycled … what if you were told that almost all of it is incinerated in Germany and the energy used for electricity? I would like to know where the money from unreturned deposits goes. I would also like to know the full circularity process of the materials which are being recycled in the return scheme. I foresee problems with the return vending machinery and their capacity and in the uptake of the system. I’d bet against this scheme working but I would be very happy to be wrong. Perhaps a case of let it play out and hold judgement for now.
@William Slevin: It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land. Widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere have occurred
@Radical Centrist: It’s already working well in a few European countries, it’s not rocket science and we are behind the curve. It’s one of these initiatives where in a little while we will wonder why we didn’t bring it in sooner like the plastic bag charge of the smoking ban.
@Mark Gannon: we pay by weight so on a winner
@William Slevin: Yes my country, the Netherlands. It’s dead simple and works.
@Mark Gannon: there are other downsides. I think the shopping bill will be increased, and people are stretched already. In my mind, I’m going to avoid the products with that logo. And if many people are the same mindset it’s going to result in lots of products left on shelves. With product not moving increases will have to happen to compensate loss of sales. And increases cost of living which many are already struggling.
I don’t have capacity to store extra rubbish and then spend time at a machine that may or may not work. There’s one machine in the entire town of 7000 houses/apartments. Potentially 10,000 people using 1 machine. Machine breaks and people bring bags of rubbish to checkout?
This is crazy. I for one will avoid buying anything with the logo. It’s just not viable for me.
@Mark Gannon: I recycle all my plastics. I buy the recycling bags from the council, will I get money back?
@John Moore: While this scheme is a recommendable it should accept all plastic bottles and cans, not just the ones with the new logo.
@Rafa C: from May only stock included in the scheme can be sold (150ml – 3 litres) so you are going to have to get used to it It’s not that big a deal. Realistically you probably go to a shop twice a week at least. Even bring it once a week, it’s not going to be that much bottles!
@Maniac 2000: I go to the shop once a month. Not everyone has access to a shop regularly. I don’t have to get used to it. Just buy alternative products or don’t buy them at all. I already don’t buy plastic bottles.
It’s a lot of bottles for a lot of people. And machine not working – what do you do queue up in the store with black bags of rubbish?
Guaranteed machines will stop working and will take a while to be serviced and back working. Leaving a lot of people stranded.
Plus I don’t have a lot of storage space for extra rubbish that is not going to get damaged to return safely.
There’s a lot of people in same situation. A lot of people rely on home deliveries and don’t/won’t have access to bring them back.
Could also lead to pilfering/stealing from bins, unauthorised rubbish collections, and potentially more damaging to the environment.
Extra traffic, cars, and trucks to empty and collect the bins. Even empty bags being left at return points, boxes etc. See all the time at glass bottle banks.
It might work in other countries, but they have better infrastructures and better systems in place.
@Radical Centrist: your last sentence would have been enough.
@Mark Gannon: Tesco has spent €15 million on the scheme. Add up all the rest.
Someone will have to pay for that. Guess who?
Everything with the Greens is about adding costs on to consumers.
I walk country roads. The amount of cans and plastic bottles etc. discarded is unbelievable. Red Bull cans would probably be number one.
The majority of this is discarded by young people in cars on their way someplace.
I can guarantee you, this will not change.
@Radical Centrist: It’s worked for 30 years in the Netherlands where I’ve seen it since a kid. I have actually been in shock we have only introduced it now. They apply the same to glass. It encourages higher amount of recycling and less contamination as stated. It will only run into problems if the reverse vending machines aren’t available everywhere and maintained properly.
@Mark Gannon: Totally agree punishing the people who do their civic duty this government must go
@William Slevin: Climate change is not a scam though. Such an idiotic argument. Climate change is real – and it’s man-made. The sooner you cop on to that the better for everyone.
@Pat Barry: Actually that’s a blatant lie. Almost 70% of plastic bottles get recycled. Which means that 30% doesn’t and that number has been plastered over every advert about returning your cans and bottles I’ve seen this week.
@Thomas Reddy: Thomas, wherever you saw that, it’s a lie. Just look up the following or go to the EPA website.
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/almost-350000-tonnes-of-plastic-were-sent-to-incineration-as-level-of-recycling-falls/a2095366979.html
@Donal Ronan: Irish recycling bins around the country collect nearly 70% of used plastic bottles in Ireland each year. Just because they don’t actually end up getting recycled afterwards means nothing. Seriously do I have to educate you every single time???
@Thomas Reddy: Well pardon me for being ignorant. Or maybe it’s the other way round.
You should read what you wrote in the first comment you made.
From the Oxford dictionary: The definition of recycled, it doesn’t just mean collected, or put in a bin etc. It is the following:
recycle something to treat things that have already been used so that they can be used again. to recycle waste/rubbish. Denmark recycles nearly 85% of its paper. recycled materials. recycled plastic/glass/paper
A ‘small extra charge’ where the feck is it going to end in this country? Another let’s ride the consumer initiative. Good Grief
@If you’re: remember when we got sold the sugar tax scam….oh ya its gonna produce loads of tax and the hse and ban it all poodles said it was going towards so many things till they figured out a month later nobody has a clue where the extra revenue is going
@If you’re: I’d bet that the entire economic viability of this scheme is based on profits from unclaimed deposits
@If you’re: it’s considered a deposit which you get back when you return. I’m wondering will retailer take “deposits” on old stock and just pocket it. I’ve seen signs up already saying drink are going up in price with no mention of the deposit scheme.
So today I bought 6 x 2 litre sparkling water for 3 euros. In February this will increase by 6 x .25c or 1 euro 50? That would be then 4.50 for same item. A 50% increase.
@Hector turtlehead: Correct. But you can get the €1.50 back so they only cost €3.00
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: if they have the Re-turn logo, yes. But the ‘old’ stock will not, so Hector might get ripped off.
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: You have to carry the 6 bottles back to the shop to get the 1.50 back..that seems like a lot of extra hassle..
Much easier to just put in the green bin.
@William Slevin:
I suggest you get your blood pressure checked.
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: Kind of, but not really.. the €3.00 cost of the water originally included the cost of the container. we are still buying the container with the water, but now there is a “deposit” we pay for the use of that bottle extra . the transaction should still be €3.00, if you return the bottle you get this return voucher.. in essence the shop buys your container back from you.. essentially this is a tax for consumer to pay for a container twice. I imagine they wont give you the cash on these containers you return, but likely a voucher to use in the shop where the return bank is.. so you are then tied to that shop for a repeat purchase of that product.
@Stephen Campbell: deposit return is not a new thing. What is newer is the concept of disposable/worthless containers. It hasn’t really worked has it, as everywhere I look on country roads there are plastic bottle and aluminium cans littered around. Also, you pay your bin collection service to take these worthless things away. Unless you are one of the people who just leaves plastic bags of rubbish at the side of the road?
@Hector turtlehead: And you will get it back once the bottles are returned. Easy, isn’t it?
Here’s an idea, just like glass bottle banks afe their success, maybe just maybe of you had free plastic and aluminium bottle/can banks also, then we might a tually use them!
Shut up Steve, that’s way too much sense. Let’s implement a crazy deposit scheme instead.
@Steve Chalk: There have been aluminium banks at bottle bank locations for ages now.
The problem isn’t household recycling, it’s people who buy cans and bottles to drink on the go and just fire them into the public bins or at the side of the road.
@Steve Chalk: There are can banks already.
The lack of a paper or cardboard one is getting on my nerves though il admit.
@Steve Chalk: Crazy deposit scheme? I grew up with one on all glass bottles and it worked!
@Steve Chalk: their volume would be useless for bin banks. The new machines shred the plastic and collapse the cans
@Steve Chalk: I have seen it in practice in Germany back at least 20 years ago. Simple system like plastic bags charging the 20 cents, so you get a few cans or bottles encourages the person to return them. Then, you have a choice of either claiming the money back or donating it to a charity. It’s not bad. Just Ireland is a bit slow with it. But it’s good to see. Even saw homeless people using the system.
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: true, but we didn’t have household recycling bins then. Now, despite having a recycling bin, I have to gather up my rubbish and take it back to the shop to reclaim my deposit or else forego recouping the money even though I am still placing the item in a recycling bin
@William Slevin: Its been widely used in other parts of the EU.
Fair play to ya if you have the extra few shilling to just throw you bottles or cans in a bin or on the beach or in a field etc etc. Someone out there will pick it up and return it for money.
If you dont understand its to encourage returns like it used to be with glass milk bottles being left outside yer door then idk.
@William Slevin: So go vote them out if it angers you so much. End of the day this deposit is paid back. its to encourage returns, i do go to the can bank every week iv no issue in getting some money back for doing it either. Like i said if you dont wanna do it then dont. Someone else will pick you your bottles outta the bin or side of the road or beach etc etc and get your money instead.
@William Slevin: I didn’t lose out but now il gain. It is encouraging people to recycle for a monetary gain and if they won’t then others will do it for them.
Lol money held to ransom what rubbish you spout, my taxes go on a Health service i dont use is my money being held to ransom? Taxes go on Public Transport i use is that held to ransom or not?
In this case your moaning about literally getting your money back. Just for going back to the shop you went to to buy the cans/bottles in anyway. god forbid you cant just leave your rubbish at the beach cos it costs you and extra 10 or 20 cent.
@Hurrly 90: To add to this i always wondered why one lad would walk the beaches where i live and pick up all the cans and bottles. Its cos he had pride in his area. Now there is a monetary gain in having that pride in yer area whether you realise it or not. I expect to see more then just this one lad collecting stuff on the beaches this summer thanks to this scheme.
@William Slevin: OK cool so i am getin my money back then ? Whats the issue??
Like i said you are literally moaning about getting your money back.
Would you prefer they kept it?
@William Slevin: So go vote them out then .
You legit sound annoyed you get money back with this scheme. How are they stealing?? You GET THE MONEY BACK.
Without mentioning corporations how is this a bad idea????
@William Slevin: pizz off, William
Surely, this is a bit of a kick’in-the-teeth to the smaller ( or independent) shops??? You’ll pay the tax when purchasing the item there but can’t return it to that same store ( where it wouldn’t be viable for them to install the unit)….. like you have to bring the returnable item to a larger store & then you’re obliged to spend any ‘credit’ you receive in that store???
@Ken Mc Carthy: Systems are in place for small shops to issue hand written vouchers.
@Ken Mc Carthy: it says in the article that the returns will be done manually (i.e. at the till) in smaller stores.
@Jerry LeFrog: What I find unfair is that the deposit will be added to ALL “eligible” containers from 1st Feb, but the old ones that do not have the logo will not be eligible for a return. So up to May some consumers will possibly pay for a non-refundable “deposit” on top of the price…
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: Read it—’ smaller shops MAY take the returns manually’ & there’s loads of exemptions based on size of shop
@Jerry LeFrog: good point…once again the punter gets screwed while existing stock ‘washes through’ the system
@Jerry LeFrog: Not true. If the old containers do not have a logo, they are not part of the scheme and a deposit cannot be charged by the retailer
@William Slevin: You’re repeating yourself.
@Billy DaBollix: didnt the petrol stations teach ya anything, in this country even when businesses arent meant to charge ya for something, they usually will try cos they know nobody is gonna challenge them since its all gravy going to the pigs trough in revenue and the rest
@Billy DaBollix: And how will that changeover be managed?
Will the items with the logo have a different barcode?
That seems unlikely.
If not, the possibility exists for items with no logo to be charged as if they do, when system prices are updated and there is still old stock in store.
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: for .25c?
Yes. But but how many people will forget, dont have time etc etc. To return them.
Or people who get bottles delivered by the supermarkets. And they don’t have transport to get back to the closest supermarket. It doesn’t work for everyone. Another irish cockup
@Hector turtlehead: So like the rest of the EU with similar deposit return schemes other people will return them if they find enough. Its encouraging the removal of plastics from being tossed on the street or the bin as someone else will take them into the shop for money.
Its been done around the EU for years. If anything its about time we caught up.
If you have no problem leaving cans or bottles on the beach or in a forest or just tossing them outta yer car someone else will see it as an opportunity for money.
Like the old EP plastic cup returns.
@Hector turtlehead: give me any system, anywhere, which DOES work for everyone?
@Hurrly 90: I dont think anyone is questioning the system, its a great idea but this is Ireland where everything is abused and used to make a profit for someone, of course people will be asking questions. Theres an element in this country that would sell their souls and their families souls for profit so thinking someone wont try use the climate change agenda to get rich is deluded
@Tom Newell: You get the money back ?? Are you annoyed you get the deposit back?
Maybe you would be happier if they just announced a recycling charge and you didnt get money back ?
@William Slevin: I’ve asked you several times to present your theory on climate change, with supporting evidence.
If you cannot give an alternative, then you are just a crank.
@Hector turtlehead: agreed an Eamon Ryan Dail sleep moment
Big into recycling & Irish people generally buy into it. Main problem is not enough nationwide recycling centers or specific recycling days for certain items. The money should have been invested in recycling centres, instead this brainfart of an idea that puts smaller retailers under even more pressure. For a man with 8 “Special Advisors”, Eamon Ryan is a very very poor Minister. I recently was at a leading private waste disposal providers separation facility & most of the waste, clean waste from the recycling bins is not recycled but actually incinerated, the Green Party have no interest in Green issues, just woke policies.
@SV3tN8M4: I think Eamonn Ryan is a man who has courage in his convictions. But this scheme is a rotter.
@SV3tN8M4: it doesn’t put any smaller stores at a disadvantage. They still get paid when you buy the item. The deposit is returned at the store you return the item to.
@Radical Centrist: He doesn’t have any convictions tho? Just bikes and stuff, he’s just tying shoe laces, there are no ideas of any effect or measure.
Imagine queuing up with a bag of cans after you have washed them and putting them in one by one to a machine that is using more energy to process and scan, only in Ireland would the dense prevail lol
@Rex Tynan:
Other countries have been doing this for decades
@P.J. Nolan: in fairness PJ he’s never been to another country in his life he probably thinks recycling in an Irish invention
“Undamaged” will be negating the idea of people going around picking up trash for some money…
And why “undamaged” when they’ll be melted down anyway?
@Kieran Menon: To ensure the deposit has been paid.
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: What has undamaged got to do with ensuring the deposit has been paid?
If the item has the logo, then a deposit has been paid.
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: So the logo can be read as the bottle enters the machine.
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: ahhhh. Light bulb moment. Haha. No conspiracy.
Like everything else in Ireland once we make climate action and recycling a for profit situation, every new idea is gonna have some way for someone or a business to get rich off it. We tried it with health, we do it with housing and if we didnt fight back we would have had the same situation with our water. And also till the producers of this waste and the rest actually take some pain and are made do some of the heavy lifting they expect the ordinary joe soap to shoulder, things will never progress enough. BTW, cant wait for the new tax on private islands, yachts, planes, cars, properties etc of the rich and elite who champion the green agenda but dont seem to ever practice or pay their share
Not for profit always makes me laugh.
Rest assured the Chief executives salary will make damn sure they are not for profit.
@Pat o Keeffe: Bottles and cans, nice and easy, everything else we send to China.
The manufacturers should be paying the extra charge not the customer, we already pay enough to recycle ffs.. Government won’t be happy until they completely bleed us dry..
@Maire Hicks: absolutely but if they had to pay say 25c for each bottle produced they would just increase the price by 25c so either way your going to be paying it
I’d be interested to know how much the refuse collectors are being reimbursed for loss of revenue. I wouldn’t have realised they were only I heard Ossian Smyth say it on TV a few nights ago.
@The Bolt: im sure they will find some excuse to raise prices, a bear in ukraine shat in the woods lads thats a clear sign we need to increase costs
Then you have to drive to store to get the money back. Load of balls.
@Hector turtlehead: Or walk? Or bus?
@William Slevin: You still here, saying the same stuff?
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: in fairness its easier than rolling over and pretending this is anything but another tax grab in the form of saving the planet. We saw this script with the sugar tax and look how that went…..not that the media, mob in the dail or anyone talks about it since the all championed it as some great virtue signalling event and turned out to be another way for revenue and supermarkets to bleed the taxpayers dry again.
@Hector turtlehead: or you could wait until you are doing your shopping again and then return them
@Tom Newell: unless you can return your sugar after use there zero comparison between the two. Go abroad for a few days you might actually learn something. Buy a cafe of beer in Germany and you return the bottles the next day and bam you have money for a hangover coffee. You also don’t have bottles thrown all over the streets and towns like we have.
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: or shopping trollies!
So what do you do if you only go to town one day a week? Does that mean you have to drag a weeks worth of bottles behind you and with you through the town until you get to the supermarket? Is there an option to opt out of this scheme? I already pay good money to have my bottled recycled but now I’m going to be hit with some deposit scheme? This is those bloody greens again isn’t it?? And they think they’re ever going to get elected again.??? If any of them come near my door looking for votes I have a shovel waiting for them!!!
@colm o’leary: The counties where this has been working flawlessly have an average Iq of 100+ is this why it’s such a flat skull discussion in Ireland?
So the old stock should be cheaper than the new returnable stock until end of May?
@Hector turtlehead: Yes. Retailers need to displays the deposit separately on displays and receipts. And if the item doesn’t have a logo on it, the old price must be charged
@Billy DaBollix: im sure they will find away to stick the price up piece by piece cos never let a chance to jack up prices stand in the way of greed
@Tom Newell: yep. I’m keeping my eye on that anyway. I’ve seen signs up already saying prices are going up, with no mention of it applying only to products with the special logo.
Wouldnt it be better for the bins to be collected under a new bin for households, who receive a credit on their household bin charges.
Apartments and flats could have a special bin storage to clock in and out of to add their bins.
@Rafa C: the bins are all done by private companies so it would never work. In the UK your council tax is what covers bin costs so it could possibly work there but there’s no chance in hell a private company is going to give money back to customers
@Martin Mongan: Why wouldn’t it work? It would work the exact same way. Your special bin is picked up, your bin is scanned at the truck, so it’s your bin. The items are scanned as they are filtered into the truck, the amount is added up – it’s deducted from your bill.
I have no idea why it wouldn’t work.
The article doesn’t mention ” international barcodes”, these are products mostly from smaller suppliers in Ireland who cannot afford to change the EAN on their products as the volumes they sell simply do not justify it. However, some large producers who supply their products(s) into multiple European and wider markets with the same barcode as they use in Ireland. These suppliers have paid re-turn Ireland a penalty fee for an exemption and won’t be changing their barcodes after Feb 1st. Retailers have been advised to charge 15c or 25c extra on those products from Feb 1st even though they don’t have the re-turn logo (yet) on the packaging and the retailer themselves didn’t pay the DRS fee to the supplier at invoice level when they purchases the products from the wholesaler/supplier.
Cash will have to remain in circulation with this as if people are forced to accept credit via card refund (not via revolut) there will be a (in AIB case) €0.35c transaction charge applied per refunded amount!! I also feel there should be no deposit just a refunded amount for returning the items.
The government are setting up a committee to look into it.
What do they mean undamaged. All cans get damaged and squashed after theyre opened. And bottles get damaged too
So if theyre damaged, do we get our deposit back
When I lived in the Netherlands in 1999, that was already a thing everywhere. I’m not saying we’re far behind, but, seems like other European countries have a 30 years head start.
Total BS , my green bin is collected fortnightly and then drives 2 km to the incinerator, airtag and all
Barrel, empties, plastic bottles, cans, drop of petrol, sorted, and looking after the environment, because I don’t have to drive to the recycling centre
Great idea, and to all the moaners out there, this system has been used for years in other countries. And as someone who is a member of our local Tidy Towns I cannot wait to see this scheme implemented. So many spoilt brats and tossers thrown their cans and bottles on the streets, maybe this will eliminate it
It’s simple, I’ll just get water from the tap, I can’t be arsed bringing a load of bottles and cans to the shop
@Rex Tynan: Brilliant idea. I’ll be doing the same. They’ve just introduced yet another scheme to annoy people who already recycle plastic. Now we have to take the bulky stuff to a shop, queue to return it & in doing so pay for yet another quango. I’m going to use tap water instead. Really annoying and yet more stupid, time-wasting nonsense.
Reading all these comments I’m wondering how does it work so well in Germany and other countries? Here people seem to be afraid of any new thing, and I’m missing the positiv effect the plastic return scheme could have on the environment. Most commentators are only thinking about their money. In Hamburg you can watch people collecting empty bottles after the nightly beach parties from people who are to lazy to return them. This way they get some extra money.
They’ve just introduced yet another scheme to annoy people who already recycle plastic. Now we have to take the bulky stuff to a shop, queue to return it & in doing so pay for yet another quango. I’m going to use tap water instead. Really annoying and yet more stupid, time-wasting nonsense.
@Patrice Ahern: so by you swapping to tap water the scheme is a success because it’s stopping you from using single use bottles
@Martin Mongan: Not quite, I’d much prefer sparkling or flavoured water. It’s not just this latest time-wasting chore being added to the list, especially when I’ve been re-cycling for 20 years. Does govt think most of us have nothing better to do than contact electricity suppliers every year to get best rate, same goes for health insurance, car & home insurance, blah blah blah.
@Patrice Ahern: I mean it’s your money do with it what you want. I personally don’t hold loyalty to any supplier so I’ll always shop around but if time is money to you then your welcome to do what’s best for you.
@Martin Mongan: yes, I suppose you are right.
Same as the electric car, looks like a great idea until you dig a bit deeper…
This is the norm all across Europe and it works. But of course in Ireland, we have to whinge about anything that represents change.
I see Larry Donnelly is having a meltdown lol
Encouraging people to recycle!! Is that not what we were doing already with the green bin?
Are all these machines going to be placed at major sports and music festival venues..and what about the thousands of kids doing sports and other activities at weekends,I doubt they will pack away their empty bottles for returning..
A small amount. Since when is 20% a small amount??? And yet when you return the bottle or can you are only getting 7% back. So the consumer does all the work and spends all the money which includes driving to wherever they must return these items and not only do they foot the cost but they are footing the wage bill of whoever the CEO will be of these companies and I’m guessing it’s some politicians from the Green Party. An absolute scam the lot of it.
Wow! Seems mad to remove bottles and cans from the recycling system just for a profit, how are the Greens not up in arms about this? Just adding an extra €2 to 8 cans of weekend beer, that are already recycled at home. It’s messed up that this can just happen. What about the other 90% of recyclable materials? What about the recycling we ship abroad??… “the latest EPA report said: Of the packaging material that was recycled in 2020, almost all plastic (92%) and paper/cardboard (99%) was exported abroad for recycling.”…
There needs to be more done to clean up the roadsides in this country. It’s actually in crazy how much trash I see at the side of the road every day on my drive to work. Miles upon miles of rubbish and it’s not going to get any better. There seems to be no public service announcements or anything to highlight the issue. I’ve reported to the council so many times and they don’t do anything. Just don’t understand why people would fly tip on the sides of our country roads.
@Dave Desmond: why dont you go for a walk once a month with a bag and a pair of gloves? Youd pick up a full back in 15 minutes, do a civic duty and feel better…
Are two litre milk containers included.or did I miss that?.
@Paul Power: milk not included
About bloody time. I saw this in Norway over 20 years ago & thought, what a great idea, can’t wait till it comes in back home in a year or 2…
So drinks should not have an increase on them unless they have the logo? That would be good to know cuz some shops have signs up already stating there’ll be an increase at the end of January.
@Marie B: Exactly. And if the shop tries to charge you the deposit when the logo is missing, just refuse to pay
Nice little earner for some poor unfortunate homeless person … see it all over Europe last 30 years . Good idea ! Shame about the delay.
Will old stock without the new logo be slightly cheaper?
I see the deposit is applicable for all cans and plastic bottles from 150ml which catches the cans of tonic water etc if only it was over 150ml
@Pat o Keeffe: if a supplier or manufacturer in that market had any sense they’d be changing their can sizes to 145ml right now and get ahead of their competitors
Burn bottles in barrel, get water from tap, simples
@Rex Tynan: you seem simple alright
@Dave Desmond: love it!
A note, as this is a tax deposit return as such.. the value will not be included in any voucher schemes Stores may have. Ie Dunnes, Tesco etc as you get the value back. So if u spend 50 to get voucher it won’t accept discount. All cans must be intact and no liquids in them also.. don’t shoot the shop staff either..
Actually it is a pity deposit is not one Euro per can or bottle
I’ll just go up to the north for my bottles and cans
For dust you are, and to the dust you shall return…
@brian o’leary: I met an abbo in the Northern Territories , he said when his time came, he wanted to be carried into the outback and left on the rocks for the birds and lizards to feast on. Circle of life man. That’s the way I wanna go.
@brian o’leary: recycling dudes, mastool…mastoooooool.
So you’ve got to keep the bottles, remember to take them back, then put them in the machine, take the receipt into the store and present them to the shop staff and get at most a couple of euro? Who can be arsed doing that? Will the receipts work with self service tills?
@Dave Harris: Even you will get used to it
Ceasefire now
They’ve been doing this in the US since 1971. They’ve had the modern automated deposit return machines there for at least 15 years. Meanwhile we’ve been merrily drowning ourselves in our own crap. Irish people will be cramming used diapers and old shoes into them. I’ve seen several broken ones already.
Bottles can be returned to any retailer no matter where purchased so not tied into one particular retailer. I can see Green bins been raided in future for those that do not decide to use the scheme
We do this in the US!
have your say