New scheme will pay households to return plastic bottles and cans

From February 2024, when you buy a drink in a plastic bottle or can that features the Re-turn logo, you will pay a small deposit of on top of the price of the drink. When you return the empty, undamaged container, you get your deposit back in full. Picture: Jonathan Pow/PA Wire

A new deposit return scheme for plastic bottles and cans has been announced this morning by Minister Ossian Smyth.

The scheme will be operated by non-profit organisation Return.ie.