Re-turn says that more than 200m containers have been returned by Irish consumers since the Irish deposit return scheme was launched in February.
The operator of Ireland’s deposit return scheme Re-turn has revealed that since the start of June an average of 2.9m containers including cans and plastic bottles have been returned daily.
As a circular economy initiative, Ireland’s deposit return scheme aims to move away from the ‘take make and dispose’ culture to one of returning valuable materials and keeping them in the economy for as long as possible.
“Since the launch of the Deposit Return Scheme, Irish consumers have shown great support and engagement, and the past few weeks are a testament as we have achieved yet another milestone”
Through a Deposit Return Scheme, aluminium cans can be recycled infinitely while PET plastic bottles can be recycled multiple times, reducing the need for virgin materials. By returning drinks containers, consumers are contributing to a sustainable future and guaranteeing that material can be recycled into new drinks containers.
By separating plastic and aluminium from general recycling, Re-turn says Ireland can achieve a 98% quality of recyclate, surpassing the 80% effectiveness of the recycling bin system. It’s important to note that this 80% represents only what actually makes it to the green bin.
In addition to reducing litter, the main purpose of this scheme is to help Ireland reach the EU’s recycling targets. The Single Use Plastics (SUP) Directive is the main driver for the introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme. Ireland needs to achieve the EU recycling target of 90% by 2029 (an interim target of 77% by 2025) and Deposit Return is a proven successful solution to achieving this target.
Message in a bottle
“Since the launch of the Deposit Return Scheme, Irish consumers have shown great support and engagement, and the past few weeks are a testament as we have achieved yet another milestone,” said Ciaran Foley, CEO of Re-turn.
“With over 200m drinks containers returned, we are positive about the future and believe that our network across Ireland is ready to meet new levels of demand. By working together, we are contributing to a green future for generations to come, and we at Re-turn are excited for the busy summer months ahead.”
Earlier this month, Re-turn announced ‘Return for Children’ a new charity fundraising initiative in partnership with six of Ireland’s national children’s charities – Barnardos Ireland, Barretstown, Childline by ISPCC, Jack & Jill, LauraLynn Children’s Hospice, and Make-A-Wish Ireland. The initiative will provide attendees at participating events with the option to donate their bottle and can deposits at designated Re-turn bins to the six children’s charities.
Event organisers who want to fundraise through the Re-turn logo plastic bottle and can collections for ‘Return for Children’ or their own chosen charities, can get further guidance on how to do so by contacting communities@re-turn.ie.
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