Ireland to launch Deposit Return Scheme

Ireland has announced a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) that will go live on February 2024 and include glass, aluminium and plastic bottles.

Meanwhile, Scotland DRS will go live on the 16th August 2023. The Scottish scheme will add 20p to a glass bottle, aluminium can or plastic drinks bottle. Refunds are made typically using reverse vending machines. The profits from bottles not returned will go to the Scottish government.

The UK government, responsible for England, has yet to announce when its scheme will go live, but will not include glass bottles as in Scotland, Ireland or indeed, many countries around the world, as it is considered too hard to implement.