Makes cents! Plastic bottles return scheme is on the way
A NEW deposit-and-return scheme for plastic bottles aims to raise recycling rates by more than 90%.
The plan, which would see people get a deposit return of up to 22c for every plastic bottle recycled, could be in place within months.
The scheme will cost approximately €100million a year and be funded by the drinks companies who produce the bottles.
Cara Augustenborg, UCD fellow in environmental policy, said similar schemes are already in place in 40 countries.
Ms Augustenborg said: ‘It would mean that you pay a deposit of somewhere between 8c to 22c when you purchase a beverage with a plastic bottle.
‘Then you would be able to return that bottle somewhere, either through a vending machine or a bring-back centre, and get your money back.’
In the US, where a similar
‘50,000 bottles were collected’
scheme operates, the bottle recycling rate is approximately 33%, but states with container deposit laws have a 70% average rate of ‘beverage container’ recycling.
The Irish plan aims to bring the country in line with the new EU Plastics Strategy and Single Use Plastics Directive and lift plastic bottle recycling from 70% to above 90%.
A pilot programme has been running in Co. Monaghan. ‘They refunded people 10c on any bottle they brought back. They didn’t have the deposit system in place as that would need to be national, but even in the first two months, 50,000 bottles were collected,’ Ms Augustenborg said.
A Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment spokesman said: ‘A public consultation on design options for a deposit-and-return scheme will be initiated in the autumn. Alongside this, a report on the introduction of a DRS will be published.
‘This report includes costs estimates for producers that are broadly similar to the
€76million to €116million identified by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment in its consideration of the introduction of a DRS in 2018.’ christian.mccashin@dailymail.ie