Deposit refund schemes spread beyond Europe

 

One of the most important and critical stages in the recycling process is the collection and sorting phase.

To this end, a legal framework is established in many countries with the aim of improving these processes. Singapore is no stranger to this, so a Deposit Refund Scheme (DRS) will be set up, whereby producers will finance the return of used beverage containers with refunds offered to consumers when they return them at designated points.

Norway, Sweden and Germany have already implemented it, achieving a high beverage container recycling rate of over 80%.

In a joint media fact sheet, the Ministry of Sustainability and Environment (MoSE) and the National Environment Agency (NEA) said packaging waste, including plastics, is one of their “priority waste streams” as it accounts for about one-third of household waste disposal.

This packaging return and recycling scheme will be implemented by 2023. Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and Environment, Grace Fu, recently mentioned in this regard that the “transition period” between the start of the scheme and the introduction of a legislative framework will give the industry time to set up the recycling collection and infrastructure.