Finally: deposit scheme for small plastic bottles

The figures will make you dizzy: 900 million small plastic bottles are sold in the Netherlands every year. And 100 million of them end up in the environment. What? That has to stop, which is why a deposit will be charged on these small bottles from 1 July onward.

Litter is a hot topic at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management anyway. State Secretary Stientje van Veldhoven has been consulting with the packaging industry for years about how to prevent that rubbish from ending up on the streets and in the bushes. Voluntary agreements did not lead to a solution, so last year it was decided that a mandatory deposit would be charged on small PET bottles. Each small bottle costs 15 cents, while large bottles will continue to cost 25 cents. The expectation is that fewer bottles will consequently be thrown away.

Petrol station, supermarket

You can return the bottles to the place where you bought them, such as a petrol station or supermarket, but also at a snack bar or sports club canteen. In February, it was also decided that there will be a deposit on cans: 15 cents per can. This will take effect on 1 January 2023.
Many other European countries have had deposit schemes for plastic bottles and cans for a long time. In Germany, this deposit scheme means that approximately 96 percent of all cans and bottles are returned.

Also read:

• 12 things supermarket employees find really annoying
• Help! When your guests suddenly ask for a soft drink
• Vegetable bar made from waste?

Source: Nos.nl