The national Deposit Return Scheme which was introduced on 1st February 2024 enables consumers to bring back used plastic drink bottles and aluminium cans which carry the Re-turn logo to reclaim the deposit which has been paid at purchase. It is too early to evaluate the success of the scheme in terms of the reduction in tonnages arising from plastic drinks bottles and aluminium cans that are captured by the scheme.  Doing a comparison of litter bin tonnages before and after the introduction of the scheme may not provide conclusive evidence as these tonnages can fluctuate for a number of reasons.  It is also the case that the containers captured by the scheme can be disposed of or recycled in a number of ways including discarded as litter, placed in a street litter bin, placed in the recycling bin at home and now recycled through the DRS.  It is expected that the scheme operators will provide information regarding the tonnages of containers captured by the scheme and this information should provide a true reflection of the success of the scheme in due course.   

It is estimated that 5 million single-use drinks bottles and cans are consumed every day in Ireland. Drinks containers are typically consumed 'on the go' and are often thrown away in mixed waste or litter, instead of being recycled.  At present the recycling rate for 'on-the-go' bottles is only 23% and this needs to be increased to 90% by 2029 if we are to meet EU recycling targets.  The Deposit Return Scheme will boost the recycling rate for these drinks containers by charging a small, refundable deposit for each plastic bottle or can. When you return your empty and undamaged bottles or cans you will receive your deposit back in cash or a voucher redeemable for cash at the shop you are returning it to.