Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 January 2024
138. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications whether any consideration has been given to the deposit re-turn scheme having a negative impact on those persons who already engage in 100% recycling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2822/24]
View answerA national Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is being introduced to encourage more people to recycle drinks bottles and cans and to ensure we meet our ambitious EU targets for the recycling of those containers.
Approximately 1.9 billion drinks are consumed in Ireland each year. While many people currently recycle their empty bottles and cans in green bins at home using the kerbside collection system, the majority of drinks containers are consumed ‘on the go’ and are often thrown away in general waste bins or as litter, instead of being recycled.
According to the latest Waste Characterisation Study from the EPA on non-household (‘on-the-go’) waste, only 23% of plastic bottles were recycled in 2022. This is a long way off the EU separate collection target of 90% that we must achieve by 2029 under the Single Use Plastics Directive.
DRS is a separate collection system that will increase the overall quantity of bottles and cans being collected for recycling. This will result in less going to landfill, incineration or becoming litter.It will also improve the quality of the recycled material being generated, by improving the quality of material being collected through a separate waste stream.
Households can continue to recycle these containers in their green bins, but the deposit is not redeemable on kerbside collections.
