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Deposit Return Scheme ‘long overdue’ in the UK
Earlier this month, nature minister Mary Creagh confirmed that the new Labour government planned to roll out a UK-wide DRS for PET bottles and steel and aluminium drinks cans ahead of the October 2027 date proposed in March 2024 by the previous administration.
Plans for a scheme like those already in place across Europe were first announced in 2018 and then incorporated into the 2021 Environment Act.
However, the scheme has faced several delays several times, most recently due to complexities in harmonising the policy across Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England.
‘Benefits of DRS are clear’
ISB Global market intelligence officer Matt Gawn believes that DRS is “long overdue” in the UK, given that similar schemes have been operational around the world for more than 20 years.
“Their benefits are clear [and] in some cases, these schemes have achieved recycling rates of 90% or more,” said Gawn.
“By adding a financial value to recyclable items, a deposit scheme encourages people to change their behaviour and hopefully be more responsible when disposing of their used plastic and metal containers. Put simply, if they don’t recycle, they’re out of pocket.
“This might prompt people to think more in general about what we all throw away and how much we all throw away – including how many items we send to landfill – and the damaging effect that this waste has on the health of our environment."
Gawn is confident that the DRS will provide the UK waste management and recycling ecosystem with much needed focus and clarity for the future direction of the sector.
“The government’s confirmation means companies involved in the value chain – manufacturers, retailers and waste management operators – can now properly commit to planning and investing in the physical infrastructure and IT systems needed to support a deposit scheme, from in-store collection points to payouts for consumers,” he added.
“The UK deposit scheme is a groundbreaking first step in a wider journey for the UK to achieve a low-waste way of life and a more circular economy. That’s because it requires food and drink manufacturers, retailers and waste management and recycling operators to work together to put in place the facilities, processes and systems needed for the scheme to be successful.”
Further action is needed
Looking ahead, Gawn expects to see companies and government agencies applying the lessons and practices that they learn from DRS. This could include materials such as textiles, wood and metals being collected, recycled and distributed for reuse in the UK.
“A deposit scheme isn’t enough by itself to solve the UK’s waste problem,” Gawn warned.
“But it’s a positive statement of intent that shows the government wants to reduce the volume of waste the country sends to landfill and conserve the environment. Hopefully, this decision leads to other parts of the 2021 Environment Act being enacted – such as the packaging Extended Producer Responsibility legislation, an end to UK waste exports overseas and meaningful action to cut plastic pollution as well.”
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