3. Reuse and Return: The Future Beyond DRS

The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is an important step towards reducing litter and waste, but real progress means moving away from single-use packaging entirely. There are different types of DRS, some focusing on recycling single-use items, with others, particularly for glass, promoting reuse. The idea behind DRS in the UK is to incentivise consumers to recycle drinks containers, but focusing on a reuse system is a better option. 

Recycling plastic doesn’t always work. When it does, it consumes huge amounts of energy and resources. Plastic recycling often downcycles materials into lower quality products that eventually go to landfill or end up in the sea. Glass recycling saves only around 25% of the energy needed to create new bottles. Incineration merely shifts the problem into air pollution and carbon emissions.

The real future lies in reuse.

An ideal future would see drinks containers returned, washed, refilled and used again. In countries like Germany and parts of France, reuse systems are already working: durable glass and plastic bottles are collected, sanitised, and put back into circulation dozens of times before finally being recycled.

Focusing on reuse would reduce energy waste from manufacturing and recycling, lower carbon emissions across supply chains and massively reduce litter and ocean plastic. It would also reduce long-term costs for business and consumers. 

Scotland and Wales are looking at how reuse can be built into future plans - but without strong public pressure, progress will be slow.

Building a reuse economy requires investment, infrastructure and public participation. It demands that governments, brands and retailers rethink how products are packaged and sold.

The DRS can be a stepping stone, but reuse has to be the destination. The faster we move towards it, the more we can protect our planet from environmental destruction, and secure our own safety alongside it.