The UK government has announced that a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers will be introduced across England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2025.
The news follows last week’s announcement that a ban on single-use plastic plates, trays, bowls, cutlery, balloon sticks, and polystyrene food and drinks containers, will be introduced in England from October 2023.
UK consumers use an estimated 14 billion plastic drinks bottles and nine billion drinks cans each year, many of which are littered or condemned to landfill, despite universal recycling schemes across the UK.
Large amounts of drinks container waste finds its way into the water system and UK coastal waters. The Marine Conservation Society’s long-running annual Great British Beach Clean found glass and plastic bottles, cans, caps and lids across 93 per cent of the UK’s beaches in 2022.
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The DRS will see reverse vending machines set up at designated sites where people can deposit their drinks containers and receive cash in return. A spokesperson for the government has said that it aims to ensure 85 per cent fewer drinks containers are discarded as litter within 3 years of the scheme’s launch.
Successful deposit return schemes have led to recycling rates above 90 per cent in Germany, Finland and Norway. Currently, it is estimated that just 70 per cent of drinks containers are recycled in the UK.
It is expected that retailers who sell drinks covered by the scheme will cover the bulk of the sites, with machines in England, Wales and Northern Ireland set up to recover aluminium cans, plastic bottles and lids, but not glass.The devolved government of Scotland, where a DRS will commence in August this year, has said that glass will be included in its scheme.
‘It’s great to see steps being taken toward the implementation of Deposit Return Schemes across England and Wales,’ said Sandy Luk, Chief Executive of the Marine Conservation Society. ‘Our data consistently shows the need for Schemes that encompass all drinks-related litter, including glass.’
What’s more, we know schemes like this work. Following the introduction of charges on single-use plastic carrier bags we saw a massive decrease in bags on beaches. Deposit Return Schemes across the UK have the potential to really turn the tide on the pollution our volunteers are finding on beaches.’
‘We welcome Defra’s commitment to introducing an all-in can/PET deposit return scheme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland,’ said Gavin Partington, Director General of the British Soft Drinks Association. ‘By kickstarting the UK’s circular economy for drinks containers, the Deposit Return Scheme will help consumers play their part in ensuring the containers they buy are returned for recycling. We look forward to working with officials to help guarantee its success.’
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