Deposit Return Scheme: Government announce plans to boost recycling

The Government has announced new plans for a deposit return scheme for recycling plastic bottles and drinks cartons.

The scheme will see customers pay a small fee that is refunded when they return empty containers into special vending machines that will be placed in supermarkets around the country.

It is due to be introduced in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2025.

However, environmental campaigners have criticised the delay in bringing in the plans and also for not including glass bottles in the scheme in certain parts of the UK.

What has the Government announced?

Similar recycling vending machine can be found in other countries including here in Turkey

The UK uses more than 20 billion bottles and cans each year many of which end up in landfill, according to the Government.

Under new plans, shoppers will pay a "small cash deposit" when buying a drink in a single use container - such as a can or plastic bottle.

This money will then be returned when people bring back the used containers for recycling.

No decision has been taken yet on the size of the deposit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Scotland will launch its own scheme later this year where a 20p refundable rate will be added to all drinks containers.

Many other countries around the world - including Norway, Germany and Finland - have much higher rates of recycling than the UK and have been operating similar schemes for years.

The Government hopes the change will lead to an 85% reduction in drinks containers being abandoned as litter within three years of the scheme starting.

What have others said?

The plans have been welcomed by soft drinks manufacturers and there will now be a period of consultation to change labelling on containers to try and make the deposit return system easier to understand and work more smoothly.

The Government has said that glass bottles will be excluded from the deposit return scheme in England and Northern Ireland.

This is because it says including them made the scheme too complex.

However, the national governments in Scotland and Wales have decided to include glass in their plans.

Environment campaigners have criticised the UK Government for failing to go far enough.

Dr Kat Jones from the Association for Protection of Rural Scotland said: "We urge the UK Government to follow Scotland's lead and to keep up with Wales by committing to deposit return for glass as well as cans and plastic bottles."

Campaigners have also criticised the delay in introducing the new plans, which were first proposed five years ago.