Irish Beverage Council and Drinks Ireland Mark Key Milestone of 1 Billion Containers Returned Through Deposit Return Scheme
The Irish Beverage Council and Drinks Ireland, the Ibec groups representing the non-alcohol and alcohol beverage industries on the Island of Ireland, have welcomed the news that one billion containers have been returned through the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).
A Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) sees a deposit placed on single-use drinks containers, which is then refunded to the consumer when they return their bottles and cans. Consumers are incentivised to bring back their used products, which will lead to a reduction in littering and increased recycling. Unlike traditional recycling methods, a DRS aims to create a ‘closed-loop’ recycling system, allowing the returned material to be recycled into new drinks containers, and contributing to Ireland’s separate collection target for plastic bottles - 77% by 2025, increasing to 90% by 2029. By separating plastic and aluminium from general recycling, the quality of the recycled materials jumps to 98% as part of DRS, compared with just 80% in the traditional recycling bin system.
The Deposit Return Scheme allows all stakeholders – producers, retailers, and consumers – to play their part in promoting circularity, reducing litter, and building a more sustainable Ireland.
Robert Kiernan, Director of the Irish Beverage Council, said: “The first year of the Deposit Return Scheme has been a remarkable success, and is the result of a dynamic partnership across the beverage and retail sectors, Re-turn, and Government. In just twelve months, we can clearly see the benefit of the Scheme, with a billion containers returned, and a substantial reduction in beverage container litter. This is testament to the considerable efforts undertaken by the beverage industry and Re-turn in implementing an effective DRS for Ireland. We continue to partner with Re-turn to maximise the potential of the Scheme”.
Jennifer Wallace, Drinks Ireland, said: “Having recently passed the one-year anniversary since the Deposit Return Scheme began its transition period, we can reflect positively on Scheme’s impact on sustainability and reducing litter across the country with the Scheme reaching a weekly average return rate of 24.4 million containers for 2025. This would not have been possible without the successful collaboration between producers, retailers, Re-turn, and the Government. Drinks Ireland remains committed to supporting the drinks industry in the effective operations of the Scheme”.
