The UK Government has reaffirmed its commitment to launching a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) across England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland by October 2027. Defra continues to work closely with the Scottish Government and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland to ensure the successful delivery of the scheme.
On 18 November 2024, the Welsh Government announced a delay in their own plans for a DRS. While Wales is already ranked second globally for recycling, the nation is in a unique position to introduce a scheme within an already high-performing recycling infrastructure. As a result, Wales has opted to continue developing a system that is tailored to its specific context, rather than moving forward with a joint UK scheme.
Defra has emphasized its ongoing partnership with the Welsh Government as they continue to make decisions about their DRS. The UK Government remains fully committed to working with all stakeholders to implement the scheme across the UK and to ensure it meets the environmental goals set out by the Government.
A Deposit Return Scheme offers significant environmental benefits, including reducing littering from single-use drinks containers, increasing recycling rates, and supporting the shift to a circular economy.
With an estimated 12 billion PET bottles and 14 billion metal cans in circulation, the potential impact of a DRS on reducing waste is substantial.
According to Keep Britain Tidy’s 2020 litter analysis, plastic and metal drinks containers make up 55% of the litter by volume, underscoring the need for such a scheme. Deposit Return Schemes have been proven to not only reduce drinks container litter but also help minimize other types of waste, as drinks containers often attract additional litter.
In addition to the environmental impact, the introduction of a DRS is expected to create around 4,000 new jobs across the UK, as noted in a report by The Countryside Charity. It will also drive the investment needed in infrastructure to support the scheme.
Defra is committed to working closely with industry partners to design a scheme that works for businesses and consumers. The next step is to lay regulations for England and Northern Ireland in November 2024, once parliamentary time allows. This will enable the appointment of Deposit Management Organisations in April 2025, moving the scheme closer to implementation.
With the DRS scheduled for launch in October 2027, Defra remains dedicated to ensuring the successful rollout of the scheme, and Recyclever will continue to report on the developments as they unfold.
Read more on DEFRA Policy paper - UK government update: Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers - Published 19 November 2024
