Minister Ossian Smyth has launched Ireland’s Deposit and Return scheme.
The Scheme will be operated by Deposit Return Scheme Ireland CLG, trading as Re-turn, who Minister Smyth appointed in July 2022.
All producers and retailers are legally obliged to register with Re-turn, and registration opened on Monday [28th November, 2022].
It is estimated that about 1.9 billion drinks bottles and cans are consumed each year in Ireland, in-house and ‘on the go’. The Deposit Return Scheme aims to boost the recycling rate for these drink containers by charging a small, refundable deposit for each plastic bottle or can. The Scheme will include PET plastic bottles and aluminium and steel cans between 150ml and 3 litres. A deposit of 15c will apply to containers 500mls or less and a deposit of 25c for each container above 500ml.
The Scheme will be operated by Deposit Return Scheme Ireland CLG, trading as Re-turn.
All producers and retailers are legally obliged to register with Re-turn. Registration is open at www.re-turn.ie.
Brian Leddin TD said: “The Deposit and Return Scheme is a new initiative supporting the circular economy and it will transform the way we think about and treat empty drink bottles and cans. The refundable deposit is intended to incentivise people to return the containers so producers can make new bottles out of old bottles and new cans out of old cans, saving materials, energy and reducing litter. We see successful schemes like this all around Europe ”
Under the Single Use Plastics Directive, Ireland must ensure the separate collection of 77% of plastic beverage bottles placed on the market by 2025, rising to 90% in 2029. Deposit return schemes are a proven success in over 40 other jurisdictions around the world, including 12 in Europe, and will help us reach our recycling targets.
The implementation of the Scheme will start immediately with the registration of producers and retailers. The planned ‘go-live’ date for consumers is February 2024.