The government has invited views on how reward and return schemes for drinks containers could work in England by issuing a call for evidence.
In brief
- More than eight million tonnes of plastic are discarded into the world’s oceans each year
- Up to 80% of plastic discarded into the ocean is estimated to have been originally lost or discarded on land before washing out to sea, and plastic bottles are a particular concern
- 57% of pastic bottle sold in the UK in 2016 were collected for recycling compared to 90% of deposit-marked cans and bottles that were returned to dedicated recycling facilities in Denmark, and a return rate of almost 80% of beverage containers in South Australia, both of which have a form of deposit return scheme.
To improve these numbers and increase recycling, Environment Secretary Michael Gove has asked organisations and individuals to share their views with the government on the advantages and disadvantages of different types of reward and return schemes for plastic, metal and glass drinks containers that could help reduce the number of bottles entering our waterways. Find out more