DEBATE: Will the deposit return scheme for bottles be effective at cutting down plastic use?
Will the deposit return scheme for bottles be effective at cutting down plastic use?
Josh Burke, energy and environment research fellow at Policy Exchange, says YES.
The shocking images in Blue Planet 2 evoked visceral reactions. Consumers are now more alert to the environmental impacts of plastic, and polls show strong support for measures that will help us cut the amount we use.
International evidence from countries like Germany, Norway, and the Netherlands suggests that a deposit return scheme, where consumers get money back for returning plastic or metal items, can be very successful in increasing rates of recycling.
The consultation announced by the government yesterday – on which I advised – needs to look at what makes those schemes more successful than other international examples.
For example, we need to decide where the best places to put deposit machines are, and set the deposit at the right level. This needs to be done in conjunction with the development of end markets for recycled material and in a way that complements existing kerbside collections.
Ultimately, this will work if we design the right system and the public accept it.
Read more: Deposit return scheme for drinks bottles to be introduced in England
Bruce Bratley, founder of First Mile, says NO.
I’m in no doubt that introducing an accessible, single-use deposit scheme for plastic and glass bottles and aluminium cans will greatly improve recycling rates in England, which currently in some regions are as poor as 14 per cent. Not only that, but incentivising the public to recycle will be a strong educator in highlighting the long-term damaging effects that single-use plastic has and continues to have on our land, air and oceans.
However, with on-demand consumerism still showing very few signs of slowing, bottles are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to our national addiction to a throw-away culture. It is yet to be seen if this long-awaited scheme will help reduce the manufacture and consumption of single-use plastic containers as a whole and prompt the use of more responsible, reusable materials.
It’s absolutely a step in the right direction for our nation, but it’s only treating the symptoms of our addiction, and not the root cause.
Read more: McDonald’s is trialling paper straws in a bid to go green