PETpla.net Insider 04 / 2017

MATERIALS / RECYCLING PET planet Insider Vol. 18 No. 04/17 www.petpla.net 14 MATERIALS / RECYCLING 14 UK to block bottle deposit proposal? by Anthony Withers Despite widespread public concern at the litter blight disfiguring much of the UK’s towns and countryside, the government looks set to reject proposals for a bottle deposit scheme. By imposing a 10p or 20p levy on plastic bottles ministers hoped to encourage recycling and crack down on the substantial amount of waste clogging up landfill sites. However, the proposal is likely to be rejected, according to sources in the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) has had a chequered history in the UK, with the big drinks companies, such as Coca-Cola and others, being ada- mantly opposed to the scheme. In 2015, Scotland produced a report into the trial deposit scheme then underway, which raised con- cerns about the amount of money it could cost to set up the deposit return system and about whether consum- ers would embrace the idea. How- ever officials working for Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom were said to be “unimpressed” with the scheme, citing ‘significant uncertainties’ over the evidence, saying the proposal was ‘unlikely’ but ‘not off the table’. The scale of the problem in the UK can be seen from the figures. The aver- age UK consumer recycles little over half of the 470 plastic bottles they use each year. These 16m plastic bottles end up littering towns and cities and are a problem in the world’s oceans. Why would DRS not work in the UK when it has been adopted successfully in other countries such as Germany, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and Estonia, and by the same compa- nies? Opponents say it would discour- age people who already recycle who would see the 20p levy as simply a stealth tax. In addition, local authori- ties have put in place efficient recy- cling schemes for plastic bottles, and improved kerbside waste collections would, it is claimed, provide the best solution. The main opposition to DRS came from drinks manufacturers such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Nestle and others. Their trade association, the British Soft Drinks Association (BSDA), waded into the fray, arguing that consumers wouldn’t want it, that DRS would be ineffective, and that no cost benefit analysis has been produced. Supporters of the scheme countered by pointing out that in Germany, the introduction of a DRS led to 98.5% of refillable bottles being returned by con- sumers. Similar success was reported elsewhere: Estonia for example, with a population of only 1.3 million people, has collected and recycled 3.2bn “deposit packages” in the last 12 years. Last year, the return rate was 75% for cans, and 87% for both PET bottles and one-way glass. Intense lobbying by the companies ensured that the project stalled. Then, in February 2017, came a U-turn, when, to general astonishment, Coca-Cola announced that it was prepared to sup- port DRS. It is anticipated that other companies will swiftly follow suit. This change of heart may have been brought about by public concern about plastic waste, backed up by the success of DRS schemes elsewhere in Europe. This encouraging move meant that the ball was now firmly back in the govern- ment’s court, but sadly, the response was not encouraging. Andrea Leadsom said that although she is alarmed about plastic bottle litter, she is sceptical about introducing a deposit scheme. But with Coca-Cola’s backing, and the mounting evidence of economic benefits, minis- ters might rethink their positions. The story is far from over. www.bericap.com Unique range of light weight screw and sports closures for light weight PET neck standards for water • Closures for all common neck sizes 26/22, 28mm (PCO 1810, PCO 1881), 29/25, 30/25 • Light weight Hexalite range allowing light weight neck • Still water closures suitable for N 2 dosing • Sports closures fulfill BSDA requirements • Boreseal systems for excellent tightness • Consumer friendly opening forces BERI CAP Technology for still water