Why doesn't the UK have a deposit system on plastic, metal and glass containers like other countries?

Question

If the Uk was so concerned with the effect of consumer packaging such as plastic bottles, cans, milk bottles, wine bottles etc

Why don't they have a simple deposit system like in the USA where in some states you get 5c just for brining the can back or in New Zealand where the can Aluminium companies pay for cans at a rate per can returned.

I for one am so sick of seeing rubbish that should be recycled dumped on the roadside and in our landfill.

Answer 1

I might be showing my age now (I'm 38!) but when I was little there was a desposit system for "pop" bottles.   You got something like 5p per bottle, it was great I used to collect all my neighbours bottles and take them back to the shop (oooo I must have collected two or three at a time!!!) and get my penny sweets with them!!

I agree with you though, bring back the deposit system

(Just remember that the Milkmen/women have been green forever they always have collected their empty bottles!!)

Answer 2

because we are lagging behind and that much of our recycling waste goes to countries like China for disposal.

Answer 3

We do have recycling points for dropping off recyclable goods and we have a system similar to rubbish trucks that collect recyclable goods from our homes fortnightly.

Answer 4

Thank god they dont do that in the UK, we would have so many tramps with shopping trolleys full of aluminimum cans it would be like San Francisco

Answer 5

No such thing in Greece either!

Answer 6

the problem is that the concern of the UK people is low.The EU has forced the UK to start acting or it wouldnt have,I have a feeling that Brown will be better in this regard.Also UK people dont like change esp in the PC polically correst areas.theyll only do something if the govt forces them and then moan and the govt is scared theyll lose votes..they just make joke about enviromentalism and all the other isms.My area is  new and nice but trash everywhere..a lot left by the rubbish collecters.It good to join an org devoted to bringing change..you may just sign petitions or more if you want.'think globally/act locally'

Answer 7

I remember the days when this happened on bottles of pop and the kids loved taking them back and getting their 1d.  We used to collect them from the neighbours and they let us keep the money.  Ah those were the days.  Today it would be a case of children not being able to carry glass bottles or visiting their neighbours for health and safety reasons.

Answer 8

I agree that deposit schemes have a role to play in incentivising good citizenship.

The deposit schemes that some of us remember from the past were not governmental schemes; they were industry schemes motivates by economic circumstances that no longer exist.

The reason the UK Government has not introduced compulsory schemes is that UK Governments over the past thirty years have believed that all we care about is economic growth and they fear that if they were to adopt green policies they would get voted out.  We need to demonstrate, by our actions, that this is not the case.

Use recycling facilities fully, avoid products that include unnecessary packaging and lobby your local MP and we can get change on this issue.  Persuade your neighbours to do the same and it will all happen quite quickly.

Concerning persuading your neighbours, I think the most effective method is to say to them as you are getting ready to take materials to the recycling facility "I'm taking my bottles to the bottle bank - have you got any I can take for you?"  Do this a few times and they will start feeling they ought to reciprocate.  It will be far more effective than attacking them for not recycling.  You will be suggesting you believe them to be good citizens and would like to cooperate with them rather than you believe them to be bad citizens and want to criticise them.

I am glad you are interested in this issue and I certainly share your irritation at seeing recyclable materials littering the environment.

Best wishes

Answer 9

When I was younger, back in the 80's, we did have such a thing. Pay deposit on bottles, return and get money back.

We would also collect coke cans etc and be able to sell them on for some money.

Dont know why it stopped.