Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 May 2024
115. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if he will consider attaching 'donor' or 'gift rings' to current public waste bins in order that people can leave their can or bottle for somebody else in the community to recycle and so claim the deposit (as is operational in parts of the Netherlands in the Doneerringen scheme); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19937/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraA national Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) has been introduced to encourage more people to recycle plastic bottles and aluminium/steel cans and to ensure we meet our ambitious EU targets for the recycling of those containers.
Since the DRS went live on 1 February over 74m containers have been returned and nearly €13m has been refunded. Daily return rates are reaching 2m containers more frequently now and continuing to rise.
A transition period will remain in place until 1st June 2024 to manage selling off old stock and introducing new, Re-turn logo-ed stock. After that date, I expect the scheme to become much more firmly embedded in our lives and initiatives like the the ‘Donerringen ’ scheme in the Netherlands could be considered. While public waste receptacles are owned and maintained by local authorities, I expect the sector to be open to collaborative projects with Re-turn, the DRS operator.
