News on container deposit return schemes
2025
Push for the container return scheme re-emerges, with broad support from an unlikely coalition (March, 2025)
On 24 February, a coalition wrote to the Prime Minister for a container return scheme
On 24 February 2025, a coalition of 84 companies, councils and not for profit organisations wrote to the NZ Government asking them to modernise how we handle waste and litter in New Zealand by starting a container return scheme.
- Organisations as diverse and significant as Woolworths, Foodstuffs NZ, Coca Cola, BP, The Warehouse, The University of Auckland, the NZ Beverage Council, the Zero Waste Network and 24 councils, spanning from the Far North to Dunedin, have signed the request and offered to help the Government set up a successful scheme.
- The letter signatories are asking the Government to prioritise a container return scheme because they are proven to increase recycling rates, create new jobs, and provide fundraising mechanisms for community groups, and the charity sector. Such a scheme lines up with the government’s waste objectives and net-zero by 2050 climate goals, as well as enjoying support from 80% of New Zealanders (Reloop 2022).
- 2.6 billion single use drink bottles, cans and cartons get sold in New Zealand each year. Less than half of these are collected for recycling, but overseas container return schemes achieve 90% recycling rates.
You can view the letter here or download the PDF here.
Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations in force
EU member states: The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations (PPWR) comes into force today (11 Feb 2025). A key requirement is that Member States are required to set up a deposit return system for beverage cans and plastic bottles in order to reach a 90% collection target for 2029. Exemptions may apply to countries reaching 80% collection by 2026 but will be removed if they fail to meet 90% for three consecutive years by 2029. Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) – Reloop Platform (11 Feb 2025)
Tasmania container refund scheme set to start May 2025
Tasmania’s container return scheme is set to start 1 May 2025, which will mean that Australia will become the first continent in the world to have schemes in each state and territory. Read more here: Tasmania sets start date for container refund scheme – Waste Management Review
Ireland’s deposit return scheme reaches 1 billion drink containers returned
Ireland’s container deposit return scheme celebrates 1 billion containers returned, one year on from the launch of the Scheme in February 2024. Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme Reaches Major Milestone with 1 Billion Drinks Containers Returned – Re-Turn (February 2025)
Bottle bills are ‘gold standard’ for raising USA’s aluminium Used Beverage Can recycling rates
Establishing container deposit return systems at a state and national level is the “most impactful” solution to increase aluminium Used Beverage Can (UBC) recycling rates in the USA, a report from the Container Recycling Institute asserts. Bottle bills are ‘gold standard’ for raising UBC recycling rates: CRI | Waste Dive (February, 2025)
UK announces decision to implement a deposit return scheme
Announcement of the decision to implement a deposit return scheme for drinks containers in England and Northern Ireland, expected to go live in 2027. Scotland is anticipated to align with these regulations. Government to clean up communities with deposit return scheme for plastic bottles and cans – GOV.UK (27 January 2025)
Ireland support for upcoming deposit return scheme
In Ireland, a poll found that 84% of Irish people support the upcoming container deposit return scheme, particularly among older and rural residents. businessplus.ie/news/deposit-refund-scheme-support
2024
Wānaka’s Wastebusters advocates for container deposit return scheme
Wānaka’s Wastebusters advocates for a container deposit return scheme and supports Zero Waste Network’s letter to the government. Otago Daily Times (Ruth from Wastebusters) Genius in a bottle | Otago Daily Times Online News (Nov 30, 2024)
Wales looks to pursue a scheme that includes reuse and glass
Wales decided not to join the UK-wide DRS, and instead to pursue its own DRS that includes glass and looks beyond recycling, to support the transition to reuse for all beverage containers. Written Statement: The Development of a Deposit Return Scheme for Wales (18 November 2024) | GOV.WALES and No date for bottle returns as Welsh government exits UK scheme (November 2024)
EU member states and Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations (PPWR) mandate that by January 2029, EU member states must collect at least 90% of single-use plastic and metal beverage containers (up to 3 litres) through deposit return systems (DRS) or alternative methods. With 14 EU countries already using DRS, the regulations are expected to be a catalyst for other member states to adopt DRS, as experts consider achieving the target without DRS would be nearly impossible for countries like Spain, France, and Italy, where collection rates are below 50%. New EU rules to reduce, reuse and recycle packaging | News | European Parliament (April 2024)
2023
Policy bonfire: CRS is the Government initiative that shouldn’t have been sacrificed
This article outlines response and backlash to the deferral of New Zealand’s container deposit return scheme. NZ Herald Policy bonfire: Rob Fyfe – the Government initiative that shouldn’t have been sacrificed – NZ Herald (Mar 23, 2023)
Eugenie Sage is “extremely disappointed” that the CRS is being delayed
Green Party waste spokeswoman Eugenie Sage said she was “extremely disappointed” New Zealand’s container return scheme was being delayed to an unknown date. Greens, Māori Party call out Labour over climate policy cull and environmental issues, calls for Zero Waste Minister and seabed mining ban – NZ Herald (Mar 14, 2023)
New Zealand government announces the deferral of work on the CRS
Press release announcing deferral of work on the New Zealand container deposit return scheme, citing that the government did not want to be imposing additional costs on families during the cost of living crisis. Freeing up more government bandwidth and money to focus on the cost of living | Beehive.govt.nz (Mar 13, 2023)
2022
Labour Government agreed to implement a CRS for New Zealand
Following public consultation, NZ’s Labour Cabinet agreed to implement a CRS.This was not publicly announced (see the press release announcing deferral of work on CRS, above). Minute of Decision. (29 Nov, 2022)
Zero Waste welcomes announcement on container return
Zero Waste Network welcomes the Government’s announcement to consult on a container return scheme, noting that we have advocated for a CRS for 20 years. Zero Waste welcomes announcement on container return | Zero Waste Network New Zealand (Mar 13, 2022)
Back to the future: Kaitaia man’s decades-long campaign pays off as bottle deposit scheme returns – NZ Herald
NZ Herald overviews support for the Government’s announcement to consult on a container return scheme. Back to the future: Kaitaia man’s decades-long campaign pays off as bottle deposit scheme returns – NZ Herald (16 March, 2022)
New Zealand Government announces consultation on a container return scheme
The Beehive announced the Transforming Recycling public consultation which included proposals for a container return scheme. Government plans to transform recycling | Beehive.govt.nz (13 March, 2022)
2019
Work begins for investigating a New Zealand container return scheme
Press release announcing work beginning for investigating a beverage container return scheme, led by Auckland Council and Marlborough District Council and supported by Government funding of nearly $1 million from the Waste Minimisation Fund.
Work underway for beverage container return scheme | Beehive.govt.nz 25 Sep, 2019
2018
Kiwi Bottle Drive returns to Kaitaia
News of the Kiwi Bottle Drive returning to Kaitaia after a successful previous year. Kiwi Bottle Drive returns to Kaitaia – NZ Herald (5 July 2018)
2017
Greens reveal ‘cash for trash’ refund scheme
Green Party interest in setting up a nationwide CRS. Greens reveal ‘cash for trash’ refund scheme – NZ Herald (27 Aug, 2017)
Launch of ‘Cash for Containers’ bottle drives in Kaitaia
The launch of ‘Cash for Containers’ initiative in Kaitaia by Warren Snow saw more than $1,700 paid and over 20,000 bottles returned in four hours, alongside the signing of a petition calling on the government to introduce a container deposit scheme. Bottle buy-back bonanza in Kaitaia – NZ Herald (23 May, 2017)
History of a container deposit return scheme for New Zealand
The Zero Waste Network and NZ Product Stewardship Council previously created a series of factsheets in 2021 and 2022 that explained what we would like to see in a container deposit return scheme for Aotearoa NZ:
- Container Return: Better recycling, more refill systems and the building blocks of a circular economy (pdf)
- Container Return: CRS and Refillable Beverages complementary systems to reduce waste and emissions (pdf)
- Container Return: A Hybrid Return System for NZ’s Container Return Scheme (pdf)
Ministry for the Environment’s main website page on the container return scheme, including policy briefings, cabinet papers, cost benefit analysis, and Regulatory Impact Statement: Container Return Scheme for Aotearoa New Zealand | Ministry for the Environment
New Zealand Product Stewardship Council (2021) Happy Returns, volume 2: An optimum model for New Zealand’s Container Recycling Scheme
New Zealand Product Stewardship Council (2019). Happy Returns: A proposed model for a Container Deposit Scheme for New Zealand.
