In July 2024, I became Ealing Southall’s first Irish born and bred Member of Parliament. So, while I’ve lived in London for more years than I care to remember, I still never like to pass up a good opportunity to point out where Ireland does something better than the UK.
Kerrygold Butter? Unbeatable. The craic? Brits are fun, but the Irish own the concept of fun. Complaints about the weather? Maybe we’ll call that a draw.
But Ireland is also ahead when it comes to keeping streets clean and carbon emissions down. That’s why Labour is pressing ahead with a Deposit Return Scheme (or DRS) like in Ireland.
Since February last year, shops across Ireland have been fitted with brand new reverse vending machines. There’s one in the shop up the road from my mum’s house in Dublin.
When you buy a drink in a can or a plastic bottle, you pay 15p or 20p extra. Then when you’ve finished with the drink, you bring it back to any shop or collection centre with a reverse vending machine. You feed your bottles and cans into the machine and then out pops a voucher for your money back.
Yes, not everyone thinks of cans and plastic bottles when asked about the Government’s agenda. But it’s a simple way to increase recycling and keep the streets clean. Why litter when you get paid to recycle?
It’s a common sense environmental policy that tackles the scourge of littered drinks containers, protects our beaches, wildlife and green spaces, reduces the burden on local authorities, and restores pride in local communities.
And making our day-to-day rubbish part of the economy brings results.
Already in Ireland they’ve found there’s been a significant reduction in street litter and they’re on track to reach a collection rate of 77% this year and 90% by 2029.
Charities have benefitted too, with tens of thousands raised for charity from those who don’t need their money back.
And by keeping materials in circulation, we reduce the need for energy-intensive production processes. Recycling aluminium cans saves up to 95% of the energy required to produce a new one, cutting emissions at every stage of the supply chain. Pounds back in people’s pockets and a boost for the environment. No wonder the Tories couldn’t deliver it.
They first promised it back in 2017, but it’s taken Keir Starmer to get the job done. Legislation has been agreed to target single-use drinks containers made of plastic, aluminium, and steel, with sizes ranging from 150 millilitres to 3 litres, with new scannable returns codes on their labels. Consumers will pay a refundable deposit which they can claim back when the containers are returned to designated return points. It aims to see 70% (rising to 90% in 2030) returned.
With this new legislation the government is setting up an organisation to run and manage the scheme, including setting deposit levels. By October 2027 shops across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland will have in-store reverse vending machines where space allows, while glass will be included in new packaging rules that will make the polluter pay for recycling, instead of hard-pressed local councils.
These rules, called Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), will see a small levy on packaged products from October this year. This will drive down litter and pay for the clean-up in the process. The throw-away culture is finally coming to an end.
Labour gets that. It’s why our returns scheme isn’t just about recycling. It’s about reshaping our relationship with rubbish. With these changes the UK is poised to launch its own rubbish revolution, with cleaner streets, parks and beaches while putting money back in your pocket.
Politics.co.uk is the UK’s leading digital-only political website. Subscribe to our daily newsletter for all the latest news and analysis.
Source: Politics
