BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM
Re-turn, Ireland’s first bottle deposit return scheme, has seen a remarkable metamorphosis since its inception in February 2023. Despite initial criticism, the public has welcomed the idea, with over 630 million cans and bottles dumped in reverse vending machines around the country.
From resistance to success
Initially, the public was hesitant to engage. There were numerous complaints on social media about machine failures, excessive wait times, and uncertainty about why a new recycling system was required since bins were already in place. However, the tide swiftly shifted, and by August, 111 million containers were being returned every month, up from only 2 million in February.
According to Ciaran Foley, CEO of Re-turn, this behavioral shift reflects the societal transformation prompted by Ireland’s plastic bag levy in 2001. “Ultimately, it’s a pretty easy way of people feeling good about themselves,” Foley said. “A lot of people want to do recycling, to do the right thing for the planet.”
Incentivizing sustainable habits
The plan allows consumers to return cans and bottles for a refund of €0.15 ($0.16) for cans and €0.25 ($0.27) for plastic bottles. This incentive has increased recycling rates while also drastically reducing litter on the streets and providing minor cash benefits to homeless people and children. John Eustace, who routinely returns bottles from his office, detailed how the project has evolved into a simple means to pay for essential office supplies, referring to it as “the office petty cash.”
For folks like Ciava Dunning, the reward extends beyond the deposit. She described how the project had changed her family’s recycling habits. “We weren’t too pushed about it at first, but then you don’t want to waste the €0.15 deposit, so you get used to it,” Dunning said.
Addressing challenges and implementing solutions
While the system has been extremely successful, it is not without its challenges. Logistical challenges, such as machine breakdowns and the possibility of smuggling containers from Northern Ireland, originally raised concerns. Supermarkets, which had budgeted between €12,000 ($13,003) and €25,000 ($27,090)for reverse vending machines, were concerned that processing a high number of non-Irish containers would result in financial losses.
Re-turn collaborated with suppliers such as Coca-Cola to address these issues by using Irish-only barcodes. “We are delighted with where we are, though we still have a lot to do,” Foley remarked.
The road ahead for Re-turn
Despite its amazing achievements, Ireland still has work to do to meet EU recycling targets. As an EU member, Ireland must recycle 77 percent of its containers by 2024 and 90 percent by 2029. With about 1.7 billion cans and bottles coming into the Irish market each year, ongoing efforts will be required to meet these targets.
To strengthen the system further, Re-turn is working on minimizing the number of containers discarded in public bins. Dublin City Council, for example, is experimenting with installing “surround shelves” on public bins, which would allow customers to leave cans and bottles for collection without contaminating them with other rubbish.
A blueprint for the future?
For countries such as the United Kingdom, which plans to implement its own deposit return system in 2026, Ireland’s example serves as both inspiration and caution. The challenges of administering such a system should not be underestimated, but the benefits—both environmental and economic—are obvious.
“We’ve seen resistance, and we’ve seen success. It’s about finding that balance,” said Foley.
With continued work, Ireland is on course to make a big contribution to the circular economy, one bottle at a time.
