Deposit return scheme (recycling)

dxhound2005

"All Retailers who operate return points and take back Deposit Return Scheme 'in scope' containers from consumers, will be paid the following Handling Fees:
Manual Collection €0.026 per container*
Automatic Collection (RVM) €0.022 per container*
*Price is per unit regardless of material."

For simplicity assume 100 million x €0.022. That is €2.2 million due to the retailers, after 102 calendar days 01 Feb to 12 May. Works out at €956.50 per machine if all 2,300 got exactly the same traffic. Obviously some were busier, some less busy. That would be €3422.75 a year per machine.

There are also grants available where machines get low returns. Sliding scale for Years 1, 2 and 3.

dxhound2005

This is the clip from the radio. I didn't listen yet.

https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/22395032/

reubenreuben

So lidl in my local town is selling 12 cans of coke with return logo on the box. They charged the deposit. Yet inside the cans don't have the logo on them. Went on return website, barcode didn't work. Called Return and they confirmed the barcode wasn't accepted. Went on lidl WhatsApp. They refunded me the deposit charge to the app but have to use it within 7 days. It could have been a mistake as box had logo on but if it wasn't then it makes you feel scammed. It was only 1 euro 80 but its not the amount that is the issue

fritzelly

Back from Lidl a little while ago, fella there with a huge black bag of bottles/cans - pity both machines were out of order

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122138271#Comment_122138271

You're 100% right. What a carry on. Its the principle. Whats insulting is not only is Re-Turn a half assed effort. Its half assed by design. Most people wont do what you have or don't have the time. This is baked into the scheme. Multiple groups of people fecked with no comeback and intentional situations where its a torture to get your own money back. Then you get the CEO on the radio dancing on the head of a pin patronising and minimising everything. As already pointed out almost sneering at 1 point during a sweetheart interview from an RTE lackey. The whole thing just leaves a sour taste. Youd wonder how the Greens are getting on canvassing. Probably getting roasted for this Circular Economy stuff and rightly so.

zell12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122138303#Comment_122138303

Saw similar in my area, two men dumping bulging bags into two machines. I asked. They were GAA pitch volunteers at an intercounty match over weekend.

Archeron

Sorry to say it again, but the comment on the low success of home recycling is not true. Recycling companies have perfect ways to deal with home and industrial recycling sorting. In goes a truck full of mixed materials, out come bales of paper, cardboard, PET, aluminium etc. That is IF the recycling company does things properly and doesn't just incinerate everything (which the government could legislate against)

This scam adds absolutely nothing to that existing home recycling process except cost and inconvenience. Oh, and a negative environmental impact and bad public perception and buy in of environmental messaging.

I may not remember it correctly, but wasnt there an issue a few years back where dublin coco signed a contract agreeing they'd be fined substantially if they didnt provide a certain amount of materials for the then new incinerator?

Suddenly we have a problem when its discovered recyclables are all being burnt (how odd!!) , and of course the finger of blame is pointed at the public, who have been told for the past twenty years they were doing everything right and things were looking good.

I think PET use reduction is a great idea, but this has been implemented in such a thoughtless, dismissive and inconvenient manner, and all with the shadow of greed and screwing the public hanging over it.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122138271#Comment_122138271

Well done on being persistent, not that you should have to chase them to get what you are entitled to.

It's good information for anyone else caught out in a similar way.

The 7 day limit when they were in the wrong is a bit cheeky too.

fritzelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122138271#Comment_122138271

So they charged you when they shouldn't have then tell you you have to use the credit within 7 days - it's you money

Boggles

Imagine your recycle bin kept spitting back cans you tried to put into and eventually just closed shut without warning.

You'd drop kick it across the road.

They are making absolute lemons out of the lot of us.

reubenreuben

Can this scheme be got rid of or is it pushed onto Ireland by the EU?

callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122138371#Comment_122138371

Ya I'm not sure why the 7 day BS is accepted. I'd be giving them a 'I'll have my money back in cash'

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122138447#Comment_122138447

I think it's unlikely that it will be got rid of unless we come up with a better way of reaching recycling targets.

And those are targets set by the EU of which we are full members.

reubenreuben

This is lidls response when I pushed it.

'There are a number of items on the market on which deposits will be paid even before the logo appears on the packaging. This is a short-term solution aimed to simplify stock management and reduce waste. This would be the case in all stores. If you are charged the recycling charge in Lidl you will be able to return the Cans to Lidl. '

So basically Lidl are selling stuff without the Return logo but charging for it? How are they getting away with this?

barneygumble99

maybe it’s been covered here but I can’t find an answer online. So I deposited one bottle today on my way into a supermarket , 25c voucher. Spent €2 in the shop in milk but machine wouldn’t accept voucher. Is this correct regarding a minimum spend.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122138657#Comment_122138657

Nothing in the rules to allow that. Shop may have a minimum card payment that you'd go under; but minimum card payments aren't legal either since PSD2.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122138612#Comment_122138612

The logo is not currently essential on all in-scope stock.

The barcode is what the RVM recognises.

Lidl aren't doing anything wrong in selling stock and charging the deposit without the logo.

They were wrong to sell stock and charge the deposit with no barcode.

After June 1st it will be illegal to sell stock and charge deposit without the barcode and logo.

howiya

I mentioned an applegreen having its machine shuttered the other night. Still have those bottles in a bag in the car. Passing local dunnes this evening over an hour before it was due to close and they'd the shutter down too so still unable to return these items.

Shops seem to be making it harder for people to return stuff unless it's on their terms.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122138776#Comment_122138776

Same for me today... Supervalu machine shuttered. Sure who would be trying to return items at lunchtime.

Shambles of a scheme.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122138776#Comment_122138776

This is a very common occurrence

howiya

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122138787#Comment_122138787

It's only happened me twice. Thankfully they're not beer containers and don't smell

barneygumble99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122138657#Comment_122138657

it was a self service car only terminal

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122138787#Comment_122138787

The norm should be shop open, machine available for use.

The only acceptable excuse would be machine out of order and service/repair request logged with provider.

howiya

Impressive (and presumably wrong) stats from Re-turn considering there has been 100m containers returned in total

Daily Average of Drinks Containers returned in Months:

69,000 containers a day in February

645,000 containers a day in March

66 million containers a day in April

37 million containers a day in May

https://re-turn.ie/record-breaking-return-day-irish-consumers-bring-back-three-million-plastic-bottles-and-cans-in-one-day-2/

reubenreuben

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122138762#Comment_122138762

The cardboard box had the logo, yet the cans didn't. Very misleading.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122138804#Comment_122138804

Looks like the voucher would have brought you below a minimum spend limit on the terminal.

Not really a DRS issue but a pain just the same.

fritzelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122138829#Comment_122138829

Hmm

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122138864#Comment_122138864

Makes you wonder how many more were caught out and didn't realise or pursue the matter.

dxhound2005

I cant quote post #5354, but I found this:

Total Drinks Containers returned in Months:

• 2m containers February
• 20m containers in March
• 50m containers in April  
• 30.9m containers in May to date

 

Daily Average of Drinks Containers returned in Months: 

• 69,000 containers a day in February
• 645,000 containers a day in March
• 1.66 million containers a day in April  
• 2.37 million containers a day in May.  

reubenreuben

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122139108#Comment_122139108

Exactly. What are Lidl playing at?