The Irish Deposit Return Scheme is set to introduce an account system allowing customers to transfer bottle and can refunds to bank accounts, as it hits two billion returns since February 2023
The Deposit Return Scheme launched in Ireland on February 1
The Deposit Return Scheme is poised to introduce a fresh feature enabling customers to transfer funds directly into an account, as it reaches two billion returns.
Nearly two years since the programme’s launch, Climate Minister Darragh O’Brien addressed its criticisms, future aspirations and accessibility concerns in an interview with the Irish Mirror. The Minister also explored Ireland’s stance regarding its failure to achieve greenhouse gas emissions targets by 2030, and his belief that the nation remains committed to climate action despite the Greens’ electoral collapse in the recent general election.
Since the DRS commenced in February 2023, all plastic bottles and aluminium cans now carry a refundable deposit of 15c or 25c. This can be reclaimed by returning the empty containers to reverse vending machines located in retail outlets across the country.
Presently, customers obtain a receipt following the deposit of their cans and bottles which can be redeemed for cash within the shop. Nevertheless, in an increasingly cashless society, Minister O’Brien revealed an account system is being developed, reports the Irish Mirror.
He explained: “The account could be directly paid into either your bank account or a deposit return account that you could use in various shops.
“If you go to Dunnes you put it back into Dunnes or SuperValu or wherever else.”
The scheme has not been without controversy, with customers voicing complaints about machines not accepting bottles. People with disabilities have also argued that the constant return of plastics and cans to shops is not accessible for them.
In 2024, Return, the company running the DRS, raked in €66.7m from customers who didn’t reclaim their deposits. The firm plans to use some of these funds to construct a multimillion-euro recycling facility.
At present, up to 90% of PET plastic collected through the scheme is exported, as Ireland lacks a bottle-to-bottle facility capable of processing the material needed for new drink containers. Minister O’Brien expressed his strong support for the recycling facility, although he couldn’t provide a specific timeline for its completion.
Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien TD(Image: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin)
He stated: “We’ve hit over 2 billion [returns]. We will be able to fund the building of a recycling facility in the Republic. I have yet to receive the options paper on that, but it’s something that the DRS expect to return to me very early in the new year.
“They’ve been looking at some potentially existing facilities. It makes sense for us to be able to recycle on the island. It basically finishes the circular economy that it can be returned and recycled all within the island.”
The Minister stated there is “no evidence” to suggest that expanding the range of recyclable items, such as glass bottles, would be beneficial. He acknowledged that the scheme isn’t accessible for some disabled individuals but doesn’t foresee a collection service being implemented in the future, adding: “It’s about improving access to receptacles.
“I get that most people are not going to jump on a bus or a train with a bag. Most people, a lot of people, will be driving. So that’s something that the team are aware of, and we’ve got to look at. What I don’t envisage is getting to a collection scenario. I think that’ll be very labour-intensive.
“I know a lot of families where someone has mobility issues, like my own mum, for argument’s sake, she’s in her 80s. She’s not going up to the shop, so one of us does it for her. Where we can improve accessibility, we will, and it is something that we’re aware of.”
The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council and the Climate Change Advisory Council have projected that Ireland could face fines between €8 billion and €26 billion for failing to meet its greenhouse gas emissions targets. Minister O’Brien has conceded that Ireland will not achieve its target of a 51% reduction by 2030, with the Environmental Protection Agency forecasting only up to a 23% reduction.
However, the Climate Minister stated “no formula has been published” by the EU to support the claims of these enormous fines. He explained: “For the cost of compliance or fines, there isn’t a formula agreed. So the numbers that have been sort of published by both organisations are based on their own interpretation and based on their own formula, but there’s no formula in Europe.
“The figures between €8 billion and €26 billion are basically estimations based not on anything that the European Commission has said.”
Regarding potential future penalties, Minister O’Brien mentioned the argument he is currently presenting to the EU centres on Ireland’s expanding population and its multi-billion euro investment in transitioning towards a more sustainable nation, particularly in renewable energy.
Despite The Green Party suffering devastating losses in the recent general election, now holding just one TD – Roderic O’Gorman – the Climate Minister maintained that the public remains concerned about environmental issues, though the changes people should adopt need to be presented more constructively.
He commented: “I don’t think people stopped caring at all. I think where people may have been put off, and this is not a criticism of green colleagues, but it can’t be a position where it’s us telling someone ‘you need to change it and you need to change it now because you’re damaging the environment ‘.
“Yes, we need to do it for the climate, but look at the advantages that are in this too, so that it’s not seen by some as an imposition. This government’s ambition in relation to climate and energy and relation to environment has not been diminished at all by the absence of The Green Party.”
Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.