Businesses, stop resisting the deposit on cans

Following the decision on plastic bottles, it is now time for a deposit on cans. We therefore call on companies to stop dragging their feet and go for a deposit on cans.

Help us by sharing the video on your social media!

Background: Three decades of lobbying against deposits

“Guilder deposit on plastic bottles” was the headline of the Telegraaf of 17 May 1991. On Friday 24 April 2020, the decision was finally made to make deposits on all plastic bottles a reality in 2021. Thirty years lie between the first promise and the execution of the law.

Dragging feet

How could this drag on for three decades? Former Environment Minister Jan Pronk (PvdA) gave the explanation in the Hague Lobby by exposing the trick of the businesses involved. In 2002, the business community promised him to reduce bottles and cans in the environment by 80 per cent by 2005. If that failed, a deposit would be introduced.

The targets were not met, yet no deposit was introduced. In other words: delay led to cancellation. It was, and is, the standard tactic of the business community: present an alternative plan, promise improvement and agree to strict targets. In this way, they delay the matter until a new cabinet comes along with a new minister upon whom they can exert more influence.

The companies did not achieve the targets, but they were not held accountable. With such lobbying actions, they succeeded in delaying legal decisions for decades. Pretending to cooperate, but actually resisting and aiming for cancellation: the business community gave their tactic the name ‘meestribbelen’ (dragging their feet while pretending to cooperate).

The business community dragged their feet against deposits on plastic bottles

The business community tried this again with the current government when deposits on plastic bottles were back on the table. In 2018, State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management Stientje van Veldhoven (D66) agreed with companies and the House of Representatives that deposits on bottles would be introduced in 2021 if companies failed to reduce bottles in litter by at least 70 per cent. Rijkswaterstaat began to systematically monitor the numbers of bottles and cans in litter.

When the half-yearly monitoring reports showed that the numbers of bottles in nature had not decreased but had actually increased by no less than 7%, State Secretary Van Veldhoven held the companies to their agreement: as of 1 July 2021, there will be a deposit on small plastic bottles.

Companies continue to drag their feet against deposits on cans

In April this year, it was finally decided that there will be a deposit on small plastic bottles next summer. But beverage cans are not yet included in the scheme. Even though you find those cans 2.5 times as often in litter. In every country out of the 40 countries with a deposit system, cans are also included – except in the Netherlands. This is because (some) companies are still holding on to the foot-dragging tactic.

They have thus forced a similar process for cans as they previously did for bottles. In doing so, they claim to try, without a deposit system, to collect 90% of cans separately and to reduce cans in litter by at least 70%.

They have failed by far to achieve this with plastic bottles. The number of bottles in litter even increased. There is therefore no reason to assume that they will succeed with cans. With this forced delay, the business community is signing up for 1.5 years longer of unnecessary environmental pollution caused by cans. And they are potentially aiming for new agreements with a new cabinet.

A deposit system is the only means by which the target of 90% separate collection and 70% fewer cans in litter can be achieved. Moreover, the few parties that are still dragging their feet are unnecessarily driving up costs for the business community. They will have to pay more for adding cans later on than if they were already taking it into account now. This last argument was also cited by Recycling Aluminium Verpakkingen Nederland (RAVN) when they spoke out last week in favour of a rapid introduction of deposits on cans.

That is why, with this video, we call on all companies involved: stop dragging your feet and go for a deposit on cans.

Following the decision on plastic bottles, it is now time for a deposit on cans. We therefore call on companies to stop dragging their feet and go for a deposit on cans.

Help us by sharing the video on your social media!

Background: Three decades of lobbying against deposits

“Guilder deposit on plastic bottles” was the headline of the Telegraaf of 17 May 1991. On Friday 24 April 2020, the decision was finally made to make deposits on all plastic bottles a reality in 2021. Thirty years lie between the first promise and the execution of the law.

Dragging feet

How could this drag on for three decades? Former Environment Minister Jan Pronk (PvdA) gave the explanation in the Hague Lobby by exposing the trick of the businesses involved. In 2002, the business community promised him to reduce bottles and cans in the environment by 80 per cent by 2005. If that failed, a deposit would be introduced.

The targets were not met, yet no deposit was introduced. In other words: delay led to cancellation. It was, and is, the standard tactic of the business community: present an alternative plan, promise improvement and agree to strict targets. In this way, they delay the matter until a new cabinet comes along with a new minister upon whom they can exert more influence.

The companies did not achieve the targets, but they were not held accountable. With such lobbying actions, they succeeded in delaying legal decisions for decades. Pretending to cooperate, but actually resisting and aiming for cancellation: the business community gave their tactic the name ‘meestribbelen’ (dragging their feet while pretending to cooperate).

The business community dragged their feet against deposits on plastic bottles

The business community tried this again with the current government when deposits on plastic bottles were back on the table. In 2018, State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management Stientje van Veldhoven (D66) agreed with companies and the House of Representatives that deposits on bottles would be introduced in 2021 if companies failed to reduce bottles in litter by at least 70 per cent. Rijkswaterstaat began to systematically monitor the numbers of bottles and cans in litter.

When the half-yearly monitoring reports showed that the numbers of bottles in nature had not decreased but had actually increased by no less than 7%, State Secretary Van Veldhoven held the companies to their agreement: as of 1 July 2021, there will be a deposit on small plastic bottles.

Companies continue to drag their feet against deposits on cans

In April this year, it was finally decided that there will be a deposit on small plastic bottles next summer. But beverage cans are not yet included in the scheme. Even though you find those cans 2.5 times as often in litter. In every country out of the 40 countries with a deposit system, cans are also included – except in the Netherlands. This is because (some) companies are still holding on to the foot-dragging tactic.

They have thus forced a similar process for cans as they previously did for bottles. In doing so, they claim to try, without a deposit system, to collect 90% of cans separately and to reduce cans in litter by at least 70%.

They have failed by far to achieve this with plastic bottles. The number of bottles in litter even increased. There is therefore no reason to assume that they will succeed with cans. With this forced delay, the business community is signing up for 1.5 years longer of unnecessary environmental pollution caused by cans. And they are potentially aiming for new agreements with a new cabinet.

A deposit system is the only means by which the target of 90% separate collection and 70% fewer cans in litter can be achieved. Moreover, the few parties that are still dragging their feet are unnecessarily driving up costs for the business community. They will have to pay more for adding cans later on than if they were already taking it into account now. This last argument was also cited by Recycling Aluminium Verpakkingen Nederland (RAVN) when they spoke out last week in favour of a rapid introduction of deposits on cans.

That is why, with this video, we call on all companies involved: stop dragging your feet and go for a deposit on cans.