Deposit Return Scheme and how it works
DRS (Deposit Return Scheme)

Bunkers Equipped w/Sensors
Turmec design, install, and manufacture recycling facilities all over the world. Ireland, UK, Europe & Australia
The Deposit Return Scheme is an exciting new, circular economy initiative which will transform the way consumers think about empty drinks bottles and cans. The refundable deposit will incentivise consumers to return these containers so producers can make new bottles out of old bottles and new cans out of old cans, saving materials, energy and reducing litter. The Scheme is a massive undertaking for producers and retailers globally and each country has a plan in place to adopt a DRS (Deposit Return Scheme) over the next few years.
Deposit return schemes are a proven success in over 40 other jurisdictions around the world, including 12 in Europe, and will help each country reach recycling targets as set by governments to tackle waste reduction and improve on circular economy.
Recycling facilities can be upgraded or built to handle the various materials for this scheme. PET/Jazz Non FE, FE Glass etc
Scotland is the first UK nation to launch a Deposit and Return Scheme for drinks containers that will cover plastic bottles, aluminium and steel cans, and glass. The DRS will be run by the not-for-profit scheme administrator, Circularity Scotland Ltd with the objective of capturing at least 90% of recyclable drinks containers to prevent them becoming waste and supporting the further development of the circular economy in Scotland.
Ireland, England & Wales are set to follow with a proposed date of February 2024.
Consumers are expected to pay a small deposit on drinks containers between 50ml and 3 litres in size. All producers and everyone selling single use drinks containers are required to participate. Empty drinks containers may be returned by consumers across the counter at retail outlets and by using reverse vending machines.
Turmec can upgrade recycling facilities to support the roll-out and operation of the new Deposit Return Scheme Globally
Contact us for more information marketing@turmec.com or fill in your details and we will contact you. See some planned designs for use in Deposit Return Scheme
Enquire Now
More Information required on DRS
"*" indicates required fields
Global Timeline
- Deposit return schemes are already running at a national level in 12 of the 27 member states in the EU and 10 more have legislation to introduce them “in the pipeline”.
- Germany has the highest-performing deposit return system in the world, achieving a 98% return rate for drink containers, and in Lithuania, beverage container return rates rose from 34% to 92% in less than two years after introducing a scheme in 2016
The entire EU is expected to be covered by deposit return systems for beverage packaging by 2029 as all member states must comply with the EU’s 2019 Single-Use Plastic Directive, which requires a 90% collection rate for PET plastic bottles and no system gives 90%, apart from a deposit return system