Why dont we 'surcharge' ALL bottles and cans like they do in Germany?

Question

Everywhere you look in the UK youlle find tin cans,plastic and glass bottles thrown all over place in the gutters,parks and where ever!...this will mean if you dont take them back yourself the kids will?...

Answer 1

UK has become a throw away nation

Answer 2

I live in the northeastern part of the U.S.

We pay 5 cents deposit per bottle (which would be about 2p), plastic or can, on any type of beverage except milk and orange juice.  which we can bring back for the money. The scrapers/bottle redemption people sell them for about 8-9 cents per can/bottle. Wine bottles are 15 cents i think. and they have larger deposits on beer kegs and larger items to make sure you return these as well.

Its money out of pocket and many people can scrape up a decent days money by looking for discarded cans and bottles that most people seem to just throw away. I take mine back every now and again and it can add up.

Answer 3

It's an idea from the past that could have a future.

The big problem is the retailers. If you run an average UK off license or super market, do you physically have the space? You are going to want a handling charge and the company recycling has to make a profit.

Make your surcharge 10p per bottle and the consumer will only get 5p back for returning it, but if there is no surcharge and you freely recycle only the recycling company profits from returning the raw materials to the market at a lower price than sourcing unused.

You would have to Nationalise the recycling industry and the UK isn't into Nationalisation where as the Germans are.

Answer 4

heil etc

Answer 5

Beer bottles had a 2d. deposit on them when I was a kid back in the 40's - "scrumping" bottles was a more lucrative pastime than scrumping apples!  As a young teen in the 50's an evening paper round only brought in 5 shillings a week (25p), so a bag full of bottles was well worth dragging back to the off-licence.

Answer 6

A good idea.    We used to do.

The kids would get extra 'pocket money' and we would get a greener environment.

Answer 7

That would be an excellent step in the right direction.  I live in Vermont, USA and it's the same here.  Only soda and beer containers are returnable for a deposit/surcharge.  Even then, they are thrown all over along the side of the roads.  It's very ugly and sad.  I am a very green person and no matter where I go I always bring a bag to clean up some trash or bottles.  It's not a money thing, but hey that's great too, but I feel good knowing I can do something to clean up some of the beautiful places we have that are so taken for granted.  For the USA, states like Maine and California are one up on the rest of us, even Snapple glass bottles and others are returnable for a deposit.  Atleast then we know they get recycled.  The most disgusting thing I think is paying like $3 usa for a bottle of water and then the bottle ends up in the land fill instead of being recycled.  We also have a program here in the states called Green Up Day.  Once a year the schools send out students/parents/volunteers out to pick up the trash May 1st.  It peeves me off to no end how unfair it is, the kids have to clean up after the irresponsible adults who litter.  I think we as society need to keep our eyes open more and report littering when we see it.  Here it is a $250 or $500 fine but you never hear anyone being charged.  I think they should set up cameras in frequently dumped in locations like they do for traffic tickets in some places.  I think they could make a lot of revenue in the beginning and then hopefully reach the goal~ PEOPLE WILL STOP LITTERING IN THE FIRST PLACE

On your side, :)Trudi

Answer 8

It's down to the manufacturers.

BARR still do it - 20p on a returned glass bottle but there is little incentive for the to do this.

It needs positive action from the top.

In spain, They have street collections for water bottles - that are all polythene. It is illegal to dump them. Why can't we make disposal of recyclates illegal?