Ministers in Scotland have expressed a desire to pursue the policy, which would see a cost levied on the sale of drinks containers such as aluminium cans or plastic bottles, which can be refunded to consumers when they are returned to a collection point, having commissioned a study into the proposal last year (see letsrecycle.com story).
However, packaging producers, drinks manufacturers and retailers have expressed some concerns over the potential impact of the policy, which they claim could be ‘costly and confusing’ for consumers.
In a question to Mr Stewart last month, the Labour MP for Birkenhead Frank Field asked what the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) had made of the potential for a deposit return scheme across the country.
‘Uncertainties’
Responding in a written statement yesterday (12 April), Mr Stewart pointed to the research carried out by the Scottish Government last year, which he claimed highlighted ‘significant uncertainties’ regarding the impacts and benefits that a deposit return system would have.
He added that the Scottish Government is continuing to assess the potential for a deposit scheme, and that Defra will consider “any new evidence arising from this in the course of developing our own National Litter Strategy for England”.
Review
The minister also pointed out that Defra had analysed the costs and benefits of a return system for single use drink containers under the 2011 Waste Policy Review as well as in its consultation on packaging recycling targets in 2011.
As well as noting that the system could have costs for businesses, Mr Stewart claimed that local authorities could result in reduced revenue from recyclable materials for local authorities.
He said: “This work showed that introducing a deposit return system may increase recycling and reduce litter, but might impose additional costs on businesses, consumers and local authorities (which would lose revenue from recycling). However, we are lacking evidence to appropriately quantify these benefits and costs. The current approach has driven a significant increase in packaging waste recycling rates, from less than 47% in 2003 to nearly 65% in 2013.”
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