05 Dec 2022 --- The Republic of Ireland’s minister for Communications and Circular Economy, Ossian Smyth, has launched a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). The DRS aims to boost the recycling rate for drink containers by charging a small, refundable deposit for each plastic bottle or can in the country. The scheme will include PET plastic bottles, aluminum and steel cans between 150 ml and three liters. A deposit of €0.15 (US$0.20) will apply to containers of 500 ml or less and a deposit of €0.25 (US$0.33) for each container above 500 ml.Minister Smyth says: “The DRS is an exciting new, circular initiative which will transform how we think about empty drink bottles and cans. The refundable deposit will incentivize us to return these containers so producers can make new bottles out of old ones and new cans out of old ones, saving materials, energy and reducing litter.”
