DEPOSIT RETURN SCHEME FOR DRNKS CONTAINERS

The Government Response to the Deposit Return Scheme Consultation was published in January 2023.

We provided information on what this means and the next steps to introducing a Deposit Return Scheme for England, Wales and Northern Ireland at the Business Readiness Forum on 24 January. You can watch the presentation on YouTube.  

Questions & Answers

​A number of questions arose at the BRF which we publish here along with their answers. We intend to publish further Q&A around key DRS themes in this newsletter over the coming weeks.

Question  What was the rationale for excluding glass for England and Northern Ireland?

Answer  Waste is a devolved issue and this was a decision made by England/NI. Hospitality and retail sectors reported that the inclusion of glass would add significant complexity and challenges to DRS. In England/NI, however, glass will be covered by Extended Producer Responsibility.

Question  So glass will not be in scope?

Answer  Glass is not in scope under the DRS in England and Northern Ireland however it is included in EPR. It is in scope in Wales and Scotland.

Question  Can you please outline how England, Wales, and NI plan to work with Scottish Government to ensure alignment (as far as possible) across the schemes?

Answer  We are engaged on almost daily basis with colleagues in Scotland to maintain alignment. Because it is an industry-led scheme in part it is industry’s responsibility.

Question  Has Defra considered that differences between the different DRSs in the UK will place significant operational and cost burdens on obligated businesses?

Answer  We want to work with industry on this as we enter the next phase of delivery and finalise the regulations. There are certain things that are out of our remit and for the DMOs to decide once they are in place. But we certainly support minimising cost and complexity where we can, recognising the decisions that have been taken across the nations.

Question  Are takeaway coffee cups included in the DRS?

Answer  Takeaway coffee cups are not included in the DRS but are covered by requirements under EPR for business who sell filled fibre-based disposable cups to provide bins in their store and to ensure that these cups are recycled.

Question  What about aluminium bottles?

Answer  Any aluminium drinks container between 50ml and 3litres is captured by the DRS.

Question  Will the labelling requirements apply to DRS articles?

Answer  Any material in scope will be required to have mandatory DRS labelling under the guidance and the details set out by the DMO.

Question  What happens if consumers take off labels or tear them? Will this make the drinks containers impossible to return?

Answer  To successfully return drinks containers, they must have a label that can scanned at the return point by the returns machine. If the label is not intact and readable, the machine will not accept it.

Question  Are Local Authorities part of the new DRS forum?  It wasn't clear in the consultation response published on Friday that they would be part of future engagement directly.

Answer  Currently, Local Authorities are not part of the DRS Forum, which mainly focuses on trade bodies representing retailers and producers. However, we are keen to engage with local authorities and will seek to do so through other means, including wider CPR engagement and bilateral discussions (where relevant).

Kind regards

Business Readiness and Engagement Team
Collections and Packaging Reforms Delivery - Environment Quality
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs