Close the loop……
Ireland throws away huge amounts of recyclable waste, including aluminium cans, glass and plastic bottles. We once had a deposit/refund scheme for bottles for reuse and we now call on the government to reinstate a deposit/refund programme for bottles and cans. Such waste contributes to our litter problem that does little to enhance Ireland’s ‘Green’ image in the tourism industry. Additionally, throwing out such easily recyclable materials increases our waste stream and contributes to the increased consumption of virgin materials. Lastly, if we continue to at our current disposal rate, 16 of the 29 available landfills will reach capacity within the next three years.Container deposit and refund schemes have proven to be extremely successful at addressing these issues in other countries. These systems reduce waste, raise recovery rates, save money, create jobs, and enjoy high public support. While a deposit and refund system will be expensive to implement, its benefits greatly outweigh these costs. It is estimated that these systems have net benefits of over €100 million.According to the results of VOICE’s research and the findings of reports from the EU and all over the world, VOICE recommends that Ireland implement a nation-wide beverage container deposit and refund system. See our Bottle Bill ReportWhat do you think? Check out our facebook page and vote.
