IRELAND’S bottle recycling scheme was met with scorn and derision when it was launched last year, with questions over the public embracing the initiative, and if it would have any real impact on recycling rates or litter.
However the results speak for themselves. The scheme has improved recycling habits as well as driven a cultural shift in how people view waste and sustainability.
From households to businesses, more people than ever are participating in the initiative, contributing to a cleaner environment.
Over 900million plastic bottles and cans have been returned through Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme.
There are over 2,600 Reverse Vending Machines and some 470 manual return points nationwide and as we reach the scheme’s one-year anniversary, uptake and adoption continue to grow.
Writing in the Irish Sun today, Ciaran Foley, CEO of Re-turn, says the scheme is transforming recycling, reducing litter, and empowering communities across Ireland.
SINCE Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme was launched in February last year, and fully implemented in June, the degree to which it has been embraced has surpassed all expectations.
The scheme has made remarkable strides in recycling, litter reduction, and community engagement, solidifying its place as a cornerstone of the nation’s sustainability efforts.
The DRS had an instant and significant impact in increasing the amount of bottles and cans we are recycling, and the quality of the material being recycled.
We’re on track to recycle over 630million more bottles and cans annually than we did prior to the introduction.
Separately collecting cans and bottles through the DRS eliminates cross contamination which was inevitably an issue with the mixed dry recycling bin system.
As a result, we’re now able to recycle aluminium cans an infinite amount of times, and we can recycle plastic bottles up to seven times.
We are now recycling more bottles and cans than ever before and in a better way.
Because we are now recycling enough material of a high enough quality, it will finally be economically viable to build the first bottle to bottle recycling centre on the island of Ireland.
This will remove the need for us to export PET plastic bottles to be recycled in facilities in Europe, and further enable Ireland to embrace and enact circular economy principles.
Beyond its groundbreaking contribution to recycling, the DRS has been instrumental in reducing litter across the country.
According to Coastwatch’s latest marine litter survey, Ireland’s shorelines and beaches have experienced the lowest amount of litter in the form of bottles and cans in the past 25 years.
50 PER CENT LITTER REDUCTION
In the past month, Irish Business Against Litter also revealed a 50 per cent reduction in bottle and can litter in Irish communities since the scheme was launched.
These findings highlight the DRS’s role in creating cleaner streets, beaches, communities and natural spaces nationwide.
It has also been extremely gratifying to see how people across Ireland have embraced the scheme and utilised it to support local projects and charitable causes.
Over 2,000 schools, clubs, and community organisations have utilised the DRS for fundraising, enabling them to invest in a range of essential projects, from local charity drives to the installation of defibrillators.
RAISING FUNDS
One inspiring example comes from the hospital porters at Cork University Hospital that have raised over €20,000 by collecting empty bottles and cans.
Their efforts enabled the hospital to purchase a mobile high-flow oxygen therapy unit for babies and children with respiratory issues. A remarkable achievement.
Our own charity initiative, Return For Children, has raised over €90,000 for six of Ireland’s largest children’s charities.
Launched in June last year, this enables attendees at large-scale events such as festivals and concerts to donate their bottles and cans to charity, reducing litter and assisting those in need.
‘CULTURAL SHIFT IN RECYCLING’
Looking ahead, we are focused on expanding and refining the Deposit Return Scheme in 2025.
As part of this, we will work to expand the existing network of over 2,600 reverse vending machines (RVMs) and 470 manual return points nationwide.
In order to assist with this goal and encourage retailers to invest in a reverse vending machine, we’re proud to say that the grants available for small retailers to claim for the purchase of an RVM have doubled from €6,000 to €12,000.
The Deposit Return Scheme has already achieved incredible milestones in its short history, driving a cultural shift in recycling, fostering cleaner communities, and empowering local projects.
With continued innovation and unwavering commitment, the DRS is poised to play an even greater role in our sustainability journey, paving the way for a greener, cleaner future.
