Experts drink to idea of bottles and cans deposit scheme

A plan for retailers to charge a refundable deposit for drinks containers has been welcomed by a Midlands green energy expert.

“With carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere at the highest for 800,000 years, any steps which will reduce our carbon footprint must be welcomed,” said Ron Fox, of Noreus Ltd, Keele, Staffordshire.

“And with our recycling record so poor compared with many other European countries, this simple move will have a big impact.”

At present Germany recycles 98 per cent of cans and plastic bottles, Norway 96 per cent, The Netherlands 95 per cent, Lithuania 93 per cent, Finland 92 per cent while the UK, which doesn’t have a deposit scheme, reuses only 57 per cent of its 13 billion plastic bottles.

However, the British plastics industry claims that the rate for drinks bottles is higher at 74 per cent.

Now a working group appointed by the Government is due to report to ministers this month (February) backing a deposit scheme saying it would lead to a far higher recovery of used bottles and cans as well as reducing litter.

The plan is that the deposit should be 10p to 20p on top of the price of the drink which could push, for example, some litre bottles of water up from about 85p to more than £1.

“This will bring back many memories for the older readers,” said Ron. “In the 1950s and 60s many children supplemented their pocket money by scavenging or begging glass ‘pop’ bottles which had a deposit of  around 3p and two bottles returned paid for a Saturday afternoon at the cinema.”

The working group, which includes Tesco and Coca-Cola European Partners, has been particularly impressed by the success of Europe’s newest deposit scheme, introduced by Lithuania two years ago. The 10 cents (9p) deposit has resulted in 93 per cent of plastic bottles and cans and 83 per cent of glass bottles being returned and recycled.

In some European countries reverse vending machines in shops are used to collect bottles and return the deposit.

The cost of the scheme could be funded by sales of material collected for recycling, unclaimed deposits and a charge of about 0.7p per bottle paid by manufacturers.

Although the Scottish government is already designing a scheme the working party believe that it would be better to introduce a single UK scheme to minimise costs and avoid confusing the public.

The idea is supported by Michael Gove, the environment secretary, and Sir John Randall, Theresa May’s special adviser on the environment.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is planning to publish a resources and waste strategy by June that could include plans for a deposit scheme.

“It is interesting,” added Ron, “that glass-bottled milk is also making a comeback in response to the public clampdown on plastic waste.”

Dairy UK, which represents the industry, said that doorstep deliveries of glass bottles had reached about one million per day, compared with 800,000 in 2016.

For more green energy advice contact Ron on 01782 756995 or go to www.noreus.co.uk