Deposit return scheme would have little impact on litter
I refer to Victoria White’s ‘Government bottles it and so Waste Reduction Bill languishes’ (Irish Examiner, June 21).
The article contained numerous misconceptions relating to the impact a deposit return scheme could have on littering and waste dumping in Ireland.
A deposit return scheme would have little impact on total litter in Ireland — a conclusion supported by litter surveys undertaken in countries which have a deposit return scheme.
The solution to littering lies in increased public information and awareness programmes; which target the anti-social behaviour; combined with increased enforcement of the Litter Act. Repak is committed to supporting these endeavours.
Repak is engaging with all relevant stakeholders on a comprehensive plastic strategy that will ensure we focus on the practical, logical and factual evidence at hand that will ensure the best outcome for Ireland — both now and in the future.
As pointed out in the original article, a cost analysis of the Waste Reduction Bill has yet to be issued.
However, an Oireachtas Library and Research Report provided by Minister Naughten estimates that the potential cost could be up to €116m in the first year alone and that this significant expenditure would only tackle an additional one per cent of the total plastic currently recycled.
Studies undertaken in both Ireland and internationally have confirmed that a deposit return scheme would have a very marginal impact on overall packaging recycling rates and that the additional costs would outweigh any benefits.
Minister Naughten has also voiced his concerns regarding the affect a deposit return scheme could have on current recycling infrastructures in Ireland, stating recently:
Repak currently provides a subsidy of €60 per tonne of household waste recycling collected to the operators. If this subsidy was reduced or removed, as the fees were no longer available to continue providing it, then the costs would inevitably be passed on to the householder.
Littering is a human behavioural issue. The introduction of a deposit return scheme will not solve it.
Yes, it may contribute to some reduction in litter, but the evidence from countries that a deposit return scheme reduces littering is minimal.
In Sweden, where there is a deposit and refund system in place, litter is becoming an increasing problem and in 2015 and 2016 litter thrown on the ground increased by 13%. Plastic litter in Sweden, if you exclude cigarette butts, accounts for 26.1%. (Source: Litter Report Sweden 2017)
In Ireland, 2.4% of litter instances are plastic bottles according to the National Litter Report from the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment issued on June 18.
Repak recognises that plastic is one of the environmental issues of our time. We are committed to working toward a more sustainable future for Ireland.
As a nation, it is important that we place our resources into providing long term solutions, like elimination of over-packaging of materials, reduction in packaging, reuse of packaging, and the creation of a market for plastic recyclables in Ireland and Europe.
