I buy Bottled water in Bulk and got stung for 6 euro charge today!! Deposit return Scheme- !!

Annasopra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121759163#Comment_121759163

Does it have to be spelled out. Using your tap is way way way better than buying so much plastic.

Annasopra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121759543#Comment_121759543

You can return them to any machine

JVince

So the "environment conscience" op is complaining about a bottle return scheme that will see better quality and more recycling, but sees no issues whatsoever in buying crates of 24x500ml water for over 23 years.

That's 24 empty bottles and a plastic wrap around.

His environmental thinking never stretched to the utter waste he was creating.

Even if he did need bottled water it never occurred to him to buy 2l or 5l bottles

2l bottles are about 50c, (25c/l) 500ml are about 25c (50c/l)

This "shock" and now subsequent change of habit will save the op hundreds of euro every year.

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121760795#Comment_121760795

Not very environmentally friendly to have to drive to another shop to return bottles and cans, then you have the issue that you don't want to buy anything there so have to queue up to get your money back. Or else you have to bring them home and take back next time you shop, again not very good for the environment as you are driving with extra weight.

The new system doesn't require you to clean the returns so the machines will be full of contaminated products, so most likely they will still end up in the incinerator.

This is punishing people who already recycled properly instead of tackling the people who didn't.

Genghis

A lot of comments piling in on the OPs plastic consumption. I applaud any and all personal steps to reduce plastic, the reality is this scheme is an acceptance that we will not be abandoning single use containers any time soon. Don't feel alone OP!

No one yet has noted that the objective of Re-turn itself is NOT to reduce plastic. On the contrary, re-turn will perpetuate single use plastic for at least another two decades as we now have invested 100s of millions in a shiny new scheme to absolve us of guilt.

Sure, re-turn improves collection rate and recycling quality, but be more sure: it completely ignores reuse or reduce strategies. It may also increase volumes if producers decide shrinkflation tactics help them overcome the impact of DRS (imagine if the water supplier was previously selling 6 x 2l for €4, instead of that becoming €4 plus €1.50, they instead reduce the pack to 6 x 1.5l for €4 inclusive of DRS - this strategy will increase unit volume).

Large producers of PET bottles must be very pleased that schemes like these give plastic container use a green veneer, it legitimises the continued use of plastic and inhibits them from finding other solutions.

I have taken some steps of my own to completely avoid this scheme (it has focussed my own mind on what I do) but 99% of people will participate in re-turn and continue their SUP consumption, feeling 'rewarded' for doing it too.

Ash.J.Williams

Get a filter jug

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121759567#Comment_121759567

Yep, that's likely the easiest strategy for anyone who doesn't have a convenient machine that actually works - buy less of these products and toss them in the bins we already pay for.

Won't be long till the manufacturers start squealing though when sales fall

mondeoman72

You are correct to question why you have to pay it but are wrong saying the shopkeeper keeps your money. We already pay for recycling but the greens decided we should pay again.

I would also question your green credentials when you buy large quantities of water like that. I buy water when out and about if I am thirsty, but not for general usage like you appear to do.

Maybe contact Ryans office and ask him why we are paying twice.?

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121760892#Comment_121760892

Indeed there are some people out there that have the inability to bring empties back to coincide with the next time they are shopping or sometiem that they are passing a shop with a return

Thankfully there are very few that have this type of mindset.

Similar types also don't understand how plastic bottle recycling works and instead of finding out, make assumptions to suit their own misplaced narrative

reubenreuben

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058335900/i-buy-bottled-water-in-bulk-and-got-stung-for-6-euro-charge-today-deposit-return-scheme

Storing that amount of bottles takes up a lot of space. And you would need a big car/van to bring them to shop.

And , the cost of electricity, paper, ink, for these machines to printout the receipt to claim back the money.!

What idiot thought this would save the environment?

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121761311#Comment_121761311

ink on thermal paper? The refund slips are the size of a bus ticket. A Large 1000m roll of thermal paper is about €1.

Proof that it works is the op (if their story is true) is changing their habits and buying large 5L containers only.

They needed the same size car/van to bring them from the shop (people who are against this dreadfully simply system seem not to understand that you buy the drinks in the 1st place)

cnocbui

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121760790#Comment_121760790

It appears it has to spelled out to you: If the plastic your water comes in was actually recycled, then it wouldn't matter as you wouldn't be responsible for an ever increasing consumption of plastic, as it would be R E C Y C L E D.

Not only do I remember collecting the chilly bottles of fresh milk in the morning that hadn't been f*cking homogonised, I even once went on a milk truck as a runner delivering them and bringing back the empties. The net demand for new glass was tiny as the percentage of botlles R E C Y C L E D was very high.

reubenreuben

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121761333#Comment_121761333

And what about people that can't return them, who get them delivered to home because they are DISABLED?

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121761614#Comment_121761614

They should phone Mr. Ciaran Foley's office and ask for them to arrange for collection. Seriously.

Ash.J.Williams

Seriously get a filter jug lads

magic_murph

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121759157#Comment_121759157

Incorrect. It was introduced to reduce litter.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121761614#Comment_121761614

I always find this faux concern for disabled people funny. Is every disabled person not in a position to ask someone occasionally to bring their bottles for recycling? Or are you just moaning about a positive scheme for the sake of it because all of the other whinge points that you can think of have been easily rebuffed?

SteM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121761643#Comment_121761643

Can someone share this quote with me because it keeps popping up on threads here. The closest I can find was from the CB show in December

CB: There will be some people for whom this is just a push too far

CF: We certainly hope not and we have a website that anybody who has any queries that need to get hold of us and we'll talk through them but there's going to be huge coverage, I mean the buy-in from the retailers already has been superb so hopefully people can walk to their local stores and we're willing to work with everybody.

CB: What about elderly people with disabilities, how are they expected to manage these?

CF: Yeah so obviously if they go to shops today or if people go to the shops for them then that can still be in place but as I said if people have particular issues then we'd be delighted to talk to them if they get hold of us through our website... [gets cut off by CB]

A bit different to call Foley's office and arrange collection tbf.

Annasopra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121761605#Comment_121761605

No. Plastic bottles are unneceesary for drinking water.

Kaisr Sose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121761605#Comment_121761605

The PET bottles primarily used in this country are not suitable for reuse like in the milk bottle example of old. That was a good system, but a sealed system with a single producer, like Carlsberg have done in Denmark for decades.

That's proper circular economy with Carlsberg bottles being reused on average 20 times. We don't have the logistics for this here.

The medium term future is single use containers, and hopefully in terms of PET, in reducing quantities.

Over time more eco friendly containers will come on stream to replace PET, ALU and Glass. Eg. Carlsbergs trial of a fibre bottle to replace glass

reubenreuben

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121761737#Comment_121761737

My sister is disabled. Do you need a picture to prove it?

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121761919#Comment_121761919

...and what? Are you telling us that she has nobody, not even you, to bring her bottles back?

bucketybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121761919#Comment_121761919

These people do not care, they have a hobby horse and they are going to ride it, it does not matter one little bit who might be affected by it.

Didn't covid teach you anything?

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121761996#Comment_121761996

Didn't covid teach you anything?

Oh good Jebus, are we really bringing that into the discussion?

Ash.J.Williams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121761737#Comment_121761737

It's usually allies that are the problem, most disabled people take pride in independence

Ash.J.Williams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121761919#Comment_121761919

Yes

reubenreuben

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121762022#Comment_121762022

And that says it all about you

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121762017#Comment_121762017

OK so if someone is too proud to get help bringing a few plastic empties to the shop, how did the plastic bottle get to them originally?

reubenreuben

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121761986#Comment_121761986

If I travel 140km then yes

SVI40

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121761684#Comment_121761684

Whatever. Believe what you wish.