Initiative Seeks Recycling Vending Machines in Supermarkets

A European Citizens Initiative has called for the introduction of reverse vending machines for plastic bottles in supermarkets. The campaigners have called on the EU Commission to implement an EU-wide deposit scheme to recycle plastic bottles.

The #ReturnthePlastics initiative comes in response to the negative impact of plastic pollution on the environment, animals and humans. When plastics are not recycled or collected, they end up in landfills or waterways before entering the ocean.

On 3 July 2021, the EU Directive on single-se plastics came into force. However, the Directive, which bans the 10 most common single-use plastic items, such as plates, cutlery and straws – in Member States, does not include plastic bottles.

The initiative proposes that a deposit of €0.15 be paid with the purchase of a plastic bottle by the consumer at the cashier. A #ReturnthePlastics ‘special logo’ on the plastic PET-bottle would indicate this to consumers. When scanning the barcode of the plastic bottle, the €0.15 deposit would automatically be added to the consumer’s bill, mentioning that this amount is the deposit fee for the plastic bottle purchase.

Some EU countries have had a deposit return scheme (DRS) for plastic bottles for many years. Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Germany are frontrunners. They have achieved recovery rates of 90% after implementing their deposit systems. Other countries have indicated that they will introduce a system in the coming years. There are also a few countries that have not yet started a debate regarding the introduction of DRS on their territory.

The organizers of the initiative need to get the support of at least 1m EU citizens, with minimum numbers in at least seven Member States, within a one-year period before the Commission considers legislation.