Deposit return scheme (recycling)

Illuminating interview with this NGO lad Colin O'Byrne by Claire Byrne a few minutes ago: https://www.voiceireland.org/the-team

NGO called VOICE - something to do with promoting the circular economy, never heard of them before - staff of at least 9. Who pays them or are they voluntary I wonder??

Anyway the issue of €20-€30 million (which is it?) of unclaimed deposits was discussed. Yer man Colin was absolutely blasé about what amounts to corporate stealing. Says he, it was baked into the system and sure no one makes money off it!!

Colin - if you happen to be reading this -we're not gobshytes, of course someone is making money from this ill thought out and poor implemented scheme. And I hope this VOICE crowd aren't one :(

That's the thing - there is nothing intrinsically wrong with the idea of a deposit scheme to tackle littering. But normal recycling as many people practice and pay for already was never littering. The complete failure to integrate these together and make them worth with deposits should be an immediate resigning matter for that egg head who's minister in charge.

Apart from that, allowing the big retailers to monopolise the business from the returns was cack handed. Cash or digital refunds should be given on the spot and capable of being spent anywhere - none of this multiple flittery dockets nonsense.

But fundamentally if we have to pay deposits on these containers, the public should be able to redeem this as a credit from their bin companies.

It won't be around for long when the pressure comes on from manufacturers, distributors and retailers of falling sales, extra costs and hassle. And once the public get hold of those who brought this in the upcoming elections in June.

Took my bottles and cans for a 4km round trip last night in my 2.2 litre diesel car as both shops I went too were out of order. (Aldi and Tesco)

Or as noted by others, those who just toss away and justify it on the basis that they've paid a deposit and sure someone else will pick up their dirt? A test will be this summer and our beaches and beauty spots, if the scheme lasts that long and if we get a summer.

The company perks of working at Re-Turn will be excellent. I expect to hear of free hot yoga sessions in the office, an onsite gym, company electric cars for everyone from the MD down to the cleaner.

Today saw how people are blocking multiple machines by tossing the bottles within the hole. Majestic.

I got frustrated that I had to get my bottles back with me because someone blocked em all. Do we have to teach people how to use a machine when the instructions are clearly at the front?

Why they don't add a punching bag just to the side of the machine to get some extra credit? That would motivate me a lot certainly

I was in Limerick for the band championship last Sunday. Tesco in Arthurs Quay, possibly the most prime location you could get - both RVMs out of order. Somebody who bought a can or bottle of coke would have had to bring the empty home with them and that simply wasn't happening. This is an occasion where you really want to have as much brought back as possible, perhaps even getting extra RVMs

My only personal gripe that I have is the vouchers have to be used in specific stores. Makes absolutely 0 sense

I assume the idea is that they are expecting 5m returns a day, how many unique digits would you need on a barcode to cover every store and how quickly can the computer systems keep up? The idea is you return while doing your shopping so allowing the vouchers for any store probably isn't needed by the majority but if you're ever stuck you can get a special voucher, known widely as cash, at the till

Ye there are instances where it doesn't make any logical sense ie, I'll be heading to the Ireland match later on with some mates and we usually have a few beers on the walk to the stadium, we can't exactly save them up, bring them into the stadium so we can return them to a RVM after the match. We'll just have to take the 15c hits on these.

I put a question to a guy that was emptying the bins,

Question:

What if I buy a 2L bottle of Coke in Dunnes and pay my 25c deposit but I return the bottle to a machine in ALDI and collect my 25c from ALDI, are Dunnes up 25c and ALDI down 25c?

Answer:

It doesn't matter, the original 25c deposit went to Coke (or the company of whichever product you purchased) and not the store. When the deposit is collected the relevant company gets a chargeback.

Is that how it works or was that waffle?

Yes, that's how it works. Deposits handled at the wholesale level.

Probably still cheaper than buying the beer in Lansdowne Road, what's it €7 or €8 a pint now? I've had to change that habit myself so a hip flask now instead of a bag of cans, not the worst change admittedly

That's a fine line isn't it... so they basically had to build in enough unclaimed deposits to fund ReTurn, but still hit the 90% target.

Hence there's almost a need to screw those who get home deliveries, those who live in villages without RVMs, not to have the machines wheelchair accessible etc

They dont want to get 95% or 100% returned.

You got the store reversed there, but I get what your were saying.

Yes it was a Green Party policy.

However there is a thing called Cabinet Collective Responsibility.

Fianna Fail and Fine Gael were right there with the GP on this.

Also the main opposition party Sinn Fein supported the introduction of DRS.

I'm not sure about the other parties.