More than 600 million drinks containers have been returned in Ireland since a bottle deposit scheme launched in February, data shows.
The initiative was introduced by the Irish government to help the country meet the EU’s target of recycling 90 percent of beverage containers by 2029. Reverse vending machines have been installed across Ireland, offering people €0.15 per can and €0.25 per plastic bottle. This is not money for nothing, but simply repayment of the additional charge the government added to the beverage containers at time of purchase. However, if you find and return a bottle or can you didn't buy yourself, it is money for nothing.
“Ultimately, it’s a pretty easy way of people feeling good about themselves, because a lot of people do want to do recycling, to do the right thing for the planet,” said Ciaran Foley, chief executive of Re-turn, the company tasked with implementing and running the scheme.
Ciava Dunning, a train driver on the Dublin Westport line, told The Guardian that she has noticed people carry their rubbish off the train now, whereas before they left it behind, as they could now collect money by recycling their purchases at Re-turn.
Similar schemes exist elsewhere in Europe. The UK plans to introduce its own version in 2026.
With a return rate of around 100 million a month, the Irish scheme will need to ramp up fast to tackle the reported 1.7 billion cans and bottles that are thrown out in Ireland each month. Still, Re-turn said the early figures are encouraging.
“It is performing beyond our expectations,” said Foley. “It has been particularly gratifying to see how it has taken off at a grassroots level among community and charity organisations utilising the scheme for fundraising.”