DEFRA officials are working on an interim report on how a bottle deposit and return system would fit around existing laws.
The study was commissioned by Environment Minister Michael Meacher, who announced his personal enthusiasm for the idea last Friday. “We have got to get the message across that you aren’t buying a product just to use in its working life,” the Minister said.
A DEFRA spokeswoman confirmed a report on “the broad practicalities of deposit systems within the current legislative regime” was underway. But she said: “It is far too early to say whether the government would actually wish to introduce such a scheme, and what purpose it would fulfil.
“Although similar systems exist in some countries, this does not necessarily mean that they are right for the UK.” It is not yet known when the study is due to be completed.
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Glass bottle return schemes were popular in the UK until the 1970s, when people were given one or two pence back for each empty they returned to a shop – until the habit fell out of fashion. It has been estimated that environmentally aware consumers could get as much as 20p for each bottle they return now.
The spokeswoman said the report would not look specifically at glass or plastic bottles. And she said it was not yet known whether responsibility for a return scheme might fall on bottle manufacturers, drinks makers or retailers.
A full cost and benefit analysis and comparisons to schemes in other European countries would only take place if DEFRA decides to do a further report, the spokeswoman said. This would take account of any relevant recommendations in the Strategy Unit's study of waste, due out in late September 2002.
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