Recycling: Bottles worth 10p as Brecon trials deposit scheme

Every bottle, can or carton on sale in Brecon has been given a unique, scannable code

People are getting 10p back for their used drinks containers in a town trialling a deposit scheme that could come to all parts of the UK.

Customers scan a bar code - now on every bottle, can or carton for sale in Brecon, Powys - then put it in a recycling bin or at set collection points to receive their money.

"A man brought in 68 bottles," said one shop manager. "We dealt with it."

All UK nations aim to have deposit return schemes in place by 2025.

But getting them off the drawing board has proved hugely problematic.

Retailers worry about costly infrastructure, councils have concerns about lost income from kerbside collections - and there have been rows between the UK and devolved governments over whether to include glass.

• Why has Scotland's deposit return scheme been delayed?

• Wales falling behind on climate change targets - report

• Businesses face clean-up costs for dumped rubbish

"It's the first ever whole-town trial of a system like this - so the potential is quite big," said the supervisor of the trial, Nellie Salter.

"One of the funniest moments was during the Brecon Jazz Festival when we had lots of kids running around collecting their 10ps," she said.

How does the deposit scheme work?

For the 16-week experiment, QR code stickers are being put on drinks from every seller in town.

To redeem, people scan the code using an app on their phone before recycling, or they can scan at some shops or purpose-built machines in the town centre.

Bottles and cans do not cost more for now because the 10p reward is being paid for in part by major supermarkets and drinks manufacturers.

When a UK-wide scheme is worked out and costed, the QR code will be added to existing bar codes on all drinks for recycling.

Nellie Salter, the trial supervisor, ensures each bottle has a QR code sticker on it

At the local Spar, assistant Mark Jones said people were "saving up 10 to 12 bottles at a time and then bringing them in and buying a bag of sweets for the kids".

Although "one Sunday a man brought in 68 bottles - that was a bit of a challenge at the time but we dealt with it!"

Retired head teacher John Meurig Edwards said he worried the digital aspect would be "a barrier to some degree for elderly people".

"I think it's a good scheme and worth trying because there is a lot of stuff being thrown around, left here, there and everywhere," he said.

Dr Sarah Ward-Clavier, an associate professor of Welsh history who lives in Brecon, said: "People are quite enthusiastic about recycling so it's the ideal environment for this type of trial.

"It's nice to get 10p back for anything and the technology seems to work."

Mark Drakeford tested the bottle deposit scheme at Brecon Leisure Centre and says the next step is to test a larger town or area

The online app keeps track of how many bottles you manage to recycle, and once it hits £5 you can then bank that or donate it to charity.

So far about 1,000 households - out of around 4,000 in Brecon - have taken part in the trial.

Glass bottles are included in the Brecon trial, but they have to be returned via recycling bins at home and not to stores with collection machines.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said he was determined to include glass in any future all-Wales schemes - despite concerns from breweries and objections from the UK government.