The research, published today (16 January), shows more than two thirds of UK adults (69%) say that recycling glass bottles through household waste collections would be “more convenient” than returning them to a dedicated return point, like a supermarket. This figure rises to 77% for those older than 65.
All four UK nations have announced they will introduce a DRS for beverage containers by 2025, with Scotland set to launch theirs first this August.
Scotland and Wales will include aluminium, glass, plastic and steel containers in their DRS systems, but England and Northern Ireland will exclude glass.
British Glass, the representative body for the UK industry, has long argued glass should be excluded from any DRS (see letsrecycle.com story).
Dave Dalton, British Glass’s chief executive, said: “It is no surprise that over two thirds of UK adults would find it more convenient to continue recycling their bottles through their household collections. We already have a proven solution to improve glass recycling and it’s at our doorsteps.”
The findings directly contrast with recent research published by campaign group Nature 2030, which found 75% of the public wished to see glass included in a future DRS in all four UK nations (see letsrecycle.com story).
The government is expected to publish its much-delayed response to its consultation on the DRS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland later this month.
Research
Market research company Savanta surveyed 2,322 UK adults online between 16 and 18 December 2022 on British Glass’s behalf. Data was weighted to be representative of all UK adults, British Glass says.
The research found more than half (56%) said they would prefer to continue to recycle all glass products through their existing household collections, with just more than a third (37%) preferring to pay a 20p deposit on glass bottles and take them to a dedicated return point.
Women (73%) and those older than 55 (75%) were the most likely to say that recycling glass bottles through household waste collections would be more convenient, British Glass says.
Recycling
British Glass says the UK’s collection rate for glass is currently 74%. The industry aims to reach a 90% collection rate by 2030.
Mr Dalton said “We need to make recycling more, not less, convenient for consumers by keeping glass recycling kerbside. That is the only way we can achieve our industry ambition of reaching a 90% recycling rate for glass packaging by 2030.”
He added: “In addition to our concerns surrounding consumer convenience, we have long argued that including glass in a DRS is worse for the environment, leading to increased industry emissions and encouraging consumers to switch to plastic packaging.
“We thank the English and Northern Irish administrations for their commitment to keeping glass at the kerbside, helping to create a truly closed loop system, and strongly urge the Scottish and Welsh governments to follow suit.”
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