1. Deposit Return Schemes explained

UK consumers use 25 billion single-use bottles yearly, over 6.5 billion of which are not recycled. That’s over 17 million plastic, glass, aluminium or steel bottles daily, contributing to polluted beaches, oceans and a growing emissions problem. 

You might have heard of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), a simple yet powerful environmental initiative that places a small refundable deposit - around 20p - on single-use drinks containers. Consumers can get their deposit back upon returning the container to designated points, encouraging responsible disposal and combating pollution.

The DRS helps by placing value on what is typically considered waste. This incentive drives behaviour change, reduces litter and improves recycling rates. In countries like Germany, Norway and Lithuania, with established DRS, return rates exceed 90%. DRS can reduce beverage container litter by 70-84%, while also creating jobs and delivering long term savings in waste management costs.

Unlike in Wales, the broader UK scheme set to come into action in 2027 (almost a decade after it was proposed) excludes glass - a major oversight. Indeed, recycling plastic has its limits: not all plastic is recyclable, and even if it is, the process can carry a significant carbon cost. It’s vital that glass be included in the system to reduce emissions and increase resource efficiency.

A smaller-scale example of a de-facto DRS scheme that engages the community with recycling through a reward rather than deposit mechanism has been implemented by West Suffolk Council. The pioneering local scheme uses reverse vending machines into which residents deposit plastic bottles and aluminium cans, earning points via the “Trovr” app, which can be spent in local and national stores. This has seen cleaner streets, higher recycling rates and support for local economies.

Whilst DRS is a promising start, it is not the end goal. To truly close the loop, we must go beyond single-use altogether and invest in systems for reuse and refill. This will require regulatory action, industry redesign and shifts in consumer behaviour - none of which happen easily or without great expenditure.

So where do we go from here? What can we learn from countries doing it better? Follow this thread as we explore the answers to these questions…

Next in DRS series: 2. The Limitations of Recycling

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For more information contact: info@scarabtrust.org.uk

Image: Plastic bottles - Image by Nick Fewings on Unsplash (ST ref: 1216)