Deposit return scheme (recycling)

I have seen the other lads called Red Sea here.

The numbers quoted are from a two lad website.

Tell that to the queue of people who want to be taxi drivers.

In Germany for the week, same machines I see as at home. My mate living here has no problem with it, machines take glass bottles too so that's probably around the corner too.

Exactly who are you trying to defend here cos, you are digging yourself further into a hole to do it. I'd be picking my hills to die on a bit better.

Point 1. The stats you provide use the term "return rates" - not "recycle rates" - you'll appreciate these are two different terms.

Point 2. The over all recycling rates in all of those countries (for all recycleable objects not just those covered by DRS) is at or below sixty percent. Surely you can appreciate that it is far more benefical in a country where an established return scheme is in place for a hell of a lot more recycleable objects than just those covered by DRS, that you look to tweak and enhance this scheme and do some deep dive on WHY people aren't putting these objects in their own recycle bin in the first instance.

Point 3. There's simply NO way that this specific and limited DRS scheme here will give us anywhere near a 90 percent recycle rate, let alone a 90 percent collection/return rate. You just have to read the threads on here to get that and speaking with people in the real world, I've found that a large number would just take the hit and get on with life (which is awful really when you think of it) - At least the items are ending up in the recycle bin but they'll never be counted as returns under the flawed scheme…..what happens then?

Point 4. The prevalance of plastic bottles (and possibly cans) has increased dramaticilly in at least one of the countries you mention there - possibly more. Not exactly great for the environment, is it?

Those surveys are a joke, most if not all pay a small remuneration for taking part and people know how to play the surveys to get more in the future by giving the "correct" answers they know the survey is aiming for. RedC is one of the better paying ones, up to €3 for 5 minutes doing it so people get to know how to work them to their advantage without giving honest answers.

All of this is perfectly valid, and clearly, the retailers were able to ensure that this wasn't the option taken.

Much easier to put all this work in the hands of the consumer. No money is to be paid and the retailer, distributor and producer get away with the vast majority of the effort only having to implement an additional charge on their invoices.

So rather than have the people with the resources to do this, the option was that every single person in the country would become a defacto collection agent for the products that these companies are placing on the market. And not only do they get all consumers to do this work for free, but they actually charge them an upfront amount which they can only get back if they are prepared to do all the work!

Where is the incentive for the producers to create new containers to avoid any of this? Keep pushing out the plastic bottles and we can just blame the consumer for everything.

The company behind the scheme is DRSI CLG, trading as Re-turn. It is a company that is limited by guarantee and was established by beverage producers and retailers in order to fulfil their obligations. Return is a scheme set up by the beverage and retailers to make complying with any future regulations as easy on them as possible. It is all designed to avoid them having to do anything serious themselves.

When you understand that this entire scheme is actually set up by the prodcers and retailers you can stop with the understanding that the machines don't work or the poor staff in the shop. This scheme was designed by the retailers to put all the effort onto the consumer and the only part they had to play was to ensure that the end bit, the machines, are in working order.

Food for thought!

Opinion

Don’t waste your time recycling plastic

By Eve O. Schaub

April 22, 2024 at 7:00 a.m. EDT

Eve O. Schaub is the author of “Year of No Garbage: Recycling Lies, Plastic Problems, and One Woman’s Trashy Journey to Zero Waste.”

The time has come for us to stop “recycling” plastic. Plastic as a material is not recyclable, and the very best thing we can do to celebrate Earth Day this year is to acknowledge that fact.

This seems counterintuitive, I know. We’ve been told for decades that the answer to the plastic-waste crisis is more, better recycling: If only we sorted better! If only we had better access to recycling technologies! If only we washed and dried our plastics more adequately! This is all a smokescreen, designed to distract us from the truth that plastic recycling — if by “recycling” we mean converting a used material into a new material of similar value and function — is a myth.

Unlike paper, glass and metal, plastic is not easily, efficiently turned into new products. What passes for “recycling” plastic is costly, energy-intensive and toxic. On top of all that, the process requires the addition of a shocking amount of new virgin plastic — around 70 percent — to hold the newly formed plastic item together. As a result, only about 5 percent of plastic gets “recycled” (or, more accurately, “downcycled” into a product of inferior quality). Compare that with a 68 percent recycling rate for paper and cardboard.

May be paywalled!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/04/22/stop-recycling-plastic-earth-day/

From Washington Post-can't seem to post link.

» With that being said we can't be modifying laws that help the majority because it inconveniences a minority, it's simply not how a democracy works or should work

Every new taxi must be wheelchair accessible, which makes becoming a taxi driver a lot more expensive. Is that not a modification of laws because it inconvenienced a minority??

Germany introduced its DRS in the 2000's. It has the highest recycle rate in Europe.

If we are using the same machines(we are not btw) and the same system as Germany(we aren't), why does it not work as well as in Germany? Oh yeah, thats why.

Which is why I said "new taxi drivers" in the post I wrote.

Good question! Many people believe returned or collected is the same as recycled!

The scheme needs to just to be able to take back a fúcking bottle or can and give people their money back.

We can deal with cocaine goose wearers in our collective imaginations.

But it does depend on the machines. Had a slight dint in one bottle and the Aldi machine wouldn't take it. Another machine did in Dunnes.