English people will have to pay a refundable deposit when buying drinks in disposable containers
As reported by BBC, the scheme will apply to all drinks sold in glass and plastic bottles, as well as steel and aluminum cans (but not Tetra Paks). The details of the new rules have yet to be agreed, as well as the amount of the deposit, but in Germany, where a similar scheme operates, it averages about a quarter of a euro, and in Sweden – 0.1 euros.
The government announced the upcoming innovations after the release on BBC of the documentary series "Blue Planet II", which tells about the threat of pollution of the world's oceans. In particular, it shows how marine life swallows plastic, mistaking it for plankton.
According to British Environment Secretary Michael Gove, plastic waste wreaks havoc on the ocean ecosystem, and used bottles and cans end up not on sidewalks but are washed into rivers, lakes and seas.
"We have already banned dangerous microbeads and reduced the use of plastic bags, now it's time to tackle plastic bottles to help clean up our oceans," Gove said. "We need to change our attitude to this issue and our behavior. And experience shows that a deposit return scheme for drinks is an effective means that can influence the situation."
In the UK, about 13 billion plastic drinks bottles are sold annually, of which more than 3 billion are not returned for recycling. Earlier, Scotland announced the introduction of a similar deposit return system, and it is also being discussed in Wales. The adoption of similar measures in several European countries has led to a significant increase in the recycling of plastic containers.
The announcement of the new measures was enthusiastically received by environmentalists and campaigners for a clean environment, but businessmen may be alarmed by the upcoming costs. Currently, plastic producers contribute only 10% of the costs of recycling packaging to local budgets. Local authorities are also concerned that the introduction of the new program could lead to cuts in budget spending on street cleaning.
A member of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, Samantha Harding, called the measure a brilliant solution. "I can't wait to see the results of the deposit return system, not least the disappearance of all kinds of used drink containers that disfigure our beautiful rural landscapes," she said.
Officials studied the experience of deposit return schemes in a number of Northern European countries. They were impressed by the example of Norway, where up to 94% of PET bottles – transparent plastic for packaging water and carbonated drinks – are recycled. The system in Norway was organized by the beverage companies themselves, after the government introduced a tax on every non-recycled bottle. Machines were installed in stores that accept used bottles and cans – and issue a coupon for the return of the deposit.
According to Minister Gove, the 5-pence charge introduced a couple of years ago on plastic bags shows how effective such a scheme can be in the UK, since the use of such bags in the country has decreased by 83%. He says it is crucial to act now, and cites two studies published last week. According to one, the amount of plastic waste in the world's oceans could triple in the next decade if decisive action is not taken.
The other warns that the Great Pacific Garbage Patch – an artificial island of plastic waste twice the size of France – actually contains 79,000 tons of floating debris and microplastic particles, not 5,000 as previously thought.