Container-deposit legislation
When the container is returned to an authorized redemption center, or retailer in some jurisdictions, the deposit is partly or fully refunded to the redeemer (presumed to be the original purchaser).[1] A & R Thwaites & Co in Dublin, Ireland, announced in 1799 the provision of artificial "soda water" and that they paid 2 shillings a dozen for returned bottles.[6] [34] By 2005, the beverage industry in Kenya applied a deposit-refund system for glass bottles that had proven to be popular amongst wholesalers, retailers and consumers alike to participate in, not just in Nairobi, but throughout the country.[56] By 1998, there were voluntary deposit-refund schemes for glass containers in Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico and Venezuela.[57] In 1970, British Columbia became the first Canadian province to establish a mandatory deposit-return system for soft drinks and beer containers.The system is operated by the ELA Recycling Corporation, a private non-profit organization owned by Israel's beverage manufacturers.[78] In order to collect more products with its large storage area, Aco Recycling introduced G-1 Smart Reverse Vending Machines with 3 Shredder for Asofta; official operator for deposit scheme in Israel.[57] In Turkey, a recycling pilot project was launched in 2018, where plastic bottles and cans could be deposited at vending machines at three Istanbul Metro stations in return for credit on a public transport ticket card.[80] In 2021, the Turkish government decided to introduce deposit return system (DRS) by January 1, 2022, to protect Turkey's 8,000-kilometer coastline.[84] The United Nations Development Programme had funded a feasibility study to look at the possibility of establishing a deposit-return system in Fiji, building on the experience gained from their successful projects in Kiribati and the Federated States of Micronesia.In 2022, Austria announced a 25-cent deposit that will be levied on all plastic bottles from 100ml up to three litres and aluminium cans in 2025, according to the Climate Protection Ministry.In April 2019 the Brussels Capital Region started a project to test out an expansion of the system to cans, which hold a €0.05 deposit.[citation needed] In Denmark, the first national deposit-return system was introduced in 1922, when the Danish breweries agreed on a standardized glass bottle for beer and carbonized drinks, due to the limited resources available during and in the aftermath of World War I.It does not include strong alcoholic beverages, such as wine or vodka, syrup bottles, glass jars, or Tetra Paks.[123] Deposit system was first introduced to Finland in 1952 along with summer Olympic Games which brought Coca-Cola to the country – in glass bottles.Also excluded are containers smaller than 100 mL and larger than 3 L.[127] Germany was noted in 2012 as one of the few countries that included plastic bottles in its schemes.Most supermarkets in Germany have a reverse vending machine that is designed to be used by customers and which scans "Pfand" returns and prints a receipt for the total value of the refund which can be exchanged for cash or put towards the cost of future purchases.[141][142] Under the current deposit-return scheme, large polyethylene terephthalate (PET) 1 liter bottles and greater are subject to a €0.25 deposit, but only those for soft drinks and water.[143] On 24 April 2020, the State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management Stientje van Veldhoven announced that plastic bottles smaller than 1 liter will be subject to a €0.15 deposit, starting on 1 July 2021.[citation needed] Infinitum AS (formerly Norsk Resirk A/S) is responsible for operating the national recycling scheme for non-refillable plastic bottles and beverage cans in Norway.[citation needed] In Portugal, fillers must ensure that their return quotas are met, which are 80% for beer, 65% for wine (with certain exceptions) and 30% for soft drinks.However, private importation from (mainly Eastern European) countries without deposit occurs by vendors that thus compete with a somewhat lower customer price.However, in the absence of legislation, and given the switch from pub to supermarket sales, and from Imperial to metric measures, the industry has now entirely abandoned refillable bottles.[citation needed] In April 2024, Environment Minister, Robbie Moore announced that the UK deposit return scheme would be delayed until October 2027[171] In England, in January 2017, ministers were reported to be considering a 10p or 20p refundable deposit on plastic bottles and containers after Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas had voiced her support of such a scheme at the end of 2016.[172] In March 2018, the UK government announced plans to introduce a deposit return scheme in England for drinks containers.[citation needed] In Scotland, some Barr products in 750 mL glass bottles, had a 30p container deposit although this was discontinued in August 2015.[175] As of April 2017, a Holyrood motion supporting the idea of a small deposit on all drinks containers was signed by 66 MSPs, including member from every party.In May 2015, the Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland (APRS) published Scottish polling which revealed overwhelming support for deposit-return.[177][178] But in February 2017, the drinks company unexpectedly announced its support for a deposit-return program in Scotland, and in a statement to the Independent, Coca-Cola UK stated: "We have embarked on a major review of our sustainable packaging strategy to understand what role we can play in unlocking the full potential of a circular economy in Great Britain."[179] On 5 September 2017, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that a deposit return scheme would be implemented as a means to tackle the rising tide of waste.
Container deposits on most bottles and cans
Container deposits only on beer/alcoholic beverage containers
Container deposits discontinued
No container deposits
Scheme in effect
Planned scheme
(Tasmania: 2024)
Container deposits on PET bottles and cans
Planned introduction of container deposits on PET bottles and cans
No container deposits on PET bottles and cans
SeinfeldThe Bottle DepositBishkekKyrgyzstanKyrgyz somdeposit-refund systemlitterhighwaysincomenon-profitescheatedDublinIrelandsoda waterSchweppesmineral watersaluminium cansBritish ColumbiaAustriafermented beveragesBarbadosBelarusBelgiumCroatiaDenmarkfermented drinkEcuadorEstoniaFinlandGermanyIcelandIsraelJamaicaLatviaLithuaniaLuxembourgKiribatiMicronesiaKosraeMaharashtraNetherlandsNorwayPolandRomaniaScotlandSeychellesSingaporeSlovakiaSouth KoreaSwedenSwitzerlandTurkeyUnited KingdomKenyan shillingsRecycling in CanadaOntarioManitobaEncorp Pacificglass bottlesmetal cansTetra Paksplastic bottlesreverse vending machineMontrealContainer deposit legislation in the United StatesCalRecycleballot initiativeOregon Bottle BillDelawareshekel (₪)reverse vending machinesIstanbul MetroContainer deposit legislation in AustraliaKooringal, New South Walessingle-useSouth AustraliaNorthern TerritoryNew South WalesQueenslandWestern AustraliaVictoriaTasmaniaNew ZealandWaste Minimisation Act 2008product stewardshipMinistry for the EnvironmentDelhaizeBrussels Capital Region2019 Belgian regional electionsnew Brussels regional governmentCzech RepublicWorld War IEuropean Union lawenergy drinksDansk Retursystemliquid packaging boardlobby groupsretailerstrialsFederal Administrative Court of GermanyFederal Constitutional Court of Germanyflip-topBottle cratesbeer bottlesHungaryliquorforintsRecycling in the Netherlandspolyethylene terephthalateStientje van VeldhovenMerijn TingaHammerfestkronerVinmonopoletTomra Systems ASApackaging wastealuminiumSystembolagetV&S GroupSpendrupsCoca-ColaGuantanamerabottlespence (p)Robbie MooreGreen Party