Plastic Bottles and Aluminium Cans

Did you know, drink cans and plastic bottles will soon be returnable for cash as part of a nationwide scheme to reduce litter and increase recycling of metal and plastics for reuse!

Government legislation related to the ‘deposit return scheme’ was published in Nov 2021 and leads the way for the selection of service operators

We are looking forward to this recycling scheme! It brings back memories of collecting glass bottles for a refund many years ago. The bottles were then all reused. Hopefully, this scheme will be user friendly!

This new initiative is part of Irelands policies on Climate Action and Environment.

The intent of a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) in Ireland is to increase the capture rate of single-use Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) and aluminium beverage containers. PET is a clear, strong, and lightweight plastic that is widely used for packaging foods and beverages, especially convenience-sized soft drinks, juices and water.

Read the Press Release Below

The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan T.D., has signed the legislative regulations for a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) in Ireland for plastic bottles and aluminium cans, which will come into force next year.

The Separate Collection (Deposit Return Scheme) Regulations, Statutory Instrument no. 599, provide the framework within which the Minister may approve a scheme operator. The regulations also set out the obligations that will fall to producers, retailers and return point operators under the scheme.

The introduction of a DRS scheme will assist in reducing single-use plastics, help Ireland meet EU targets and promote a wider circular economy.

A DRS is a system used to incentivise consumers to return their empty beverage containers for recycling or reuse. The DRS being introduced in Ireland is focused on plastic bottles and aluminium cans, to ensure that more of these are captured for recycling and to avoid these being discarded as litter.

In drafting the regulations, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications has worked closely with representatives from the beverage industry who will fund and operate the scheme. A commitment to establish a DRS was part of the Programme for Government and the timeline for its establishment was set out in the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, published in September 2020.

The next step is the appointment, by the Minister, of an approved body to operate the scheme. Further engagement is also required with stakeholders, to fix the rate of the deposit to be paid on in-scope bottles and cans.

The scheme is expected to become operational across the country in Quarter 3 of 2022.

About Recycle IT

Recycle IT is an award-winning, not for profit social enterprise established to create employment and promote environmental awareness through recycling and reuse. We work in partnership with WEEE Ireland and are authorized by your local authority to provide electrical, electronic and pure metal recycling collections across Dublin since 2007. Recycle IT are fully compliant for WEEE Recycling with permit details available here.