Cost calculation for abolishing deposits on bottles is incorrect

Employers' organisation VNO-NCW and State Secretary Atsma are using a large number of incorrect figures and assumptions in their plea for the abolition of the deposit system. They present the costs of the deposit system as a factor of two higher than they actually are, while the alternative system is presented far too optimistically. This is stated by Recycling Netwerk, the coalition of environmental organisations committed to a better materials policy.

The municipalities recently clashed with Atsma over the plan to abolish the deposit system. According to the State Secretary, collection with a deposit system is inefficient and 'exorbitantly expensive'. However, the majority of the municipalities believe that it must first be shown whether the business community will actually achieve the recycling targets, and advocate postponing the decision until 2015.

That the reporting of recycling performance by the business community is open to doubt is confirmed by the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) of the Ministry of the Environment. According to a recent ILT study, there are "quite a few indications" suggesting that current recycling figures have been overstated.

Determining the costs of the deposit system is mainly based on a draft report that is now a year old and was commissioned by industry associations CBL (supermarkets) and FNLI (food industry). These organisations are the biggest advocates of abolishing the deposit system. According to Recycling Netwerk, the report is completely unsuitable to base policy on.

"The deposit report of this limited company under the wings of Wageningen University itself already highly qualifies the costs they calculated. The report also warns that the amounts should only be used as a guideline. It is shameful that a cost comparison is based on such an inadequate document and then put alongside a biased single page about a future ideal system," says Robbert van Duin, chairman of Recycling Netwerk. "No wonder, either, that the report has never been released before. The fact that it is now being used by the abolitionist camp shows that they do not have the arguments on their side."

While the municipalities officially want a postponement until 2015, Robbert van Duin believes that the deposit system should not be abolished at all. "For years, it has been the best collection system with the most environmental benefit at the lowest cost. Our analysis shows that Atsma's cost comparison is based on incorrectly allocated costs and many incorrect assumptions. Our corrections lead to the conclusion that abolishing the deposit system will actually lead to higher costs per collected bottle, and we are convinced that independent research will also show this. We therefore continue to advocate a business-like approach to deposits by government and industry."

Recycling Netwerk, together with the municipalities and various waste companies, supports the petition "A real hero chooses deposits". On the website www.echteheld.nl, over 18,000 Dutch people have now indicated that they are in favour of expanding the deposit system.

Letter from Recycling Netwerk to the I&M Committee

Note "How it really is: costs of collecting PET bottles"

Employers' organisation VNO-NCW and State Secretary Atsma are using a large number of incorrect figures and assumptions in their plea for the abolition of the deposit system. They present the costs of the deposit system as a factor of two higher than they actually are, while the alternative system is presented far too optimistically. This is stated by Recycling Netwerk, the coalition of environmental organisations committed to a better materials policy.

The municipalities recently clashed with Atsma over the plan to abolish the deposit system. According to the State Secretary, collection with a deposit system is inefficient and 'exorbitantly expensive'. However, the majority of the municipalities believe that it must first be shown whether the business community will actually achieve the recycling targets, and advocate postponing the decision until 2015. That the reporting of recycling performance by the business community is open to doubt is confirmed by the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) of the Ministry of the Environment. According to a recent ILT study, there are "quite a few indications" suggesting that current recycling figures have been overstated. Determining the costs of the deposit system is mainly based on a draft report that is now a year old and was commissioned by industry associations CBL (supermarkets) and FNLI (food industry). These organisations are the biggest advocates of abolishing the deposit system. According to Recycling Netwerk, the report is completely unsuitable to base policy on. "The deposit report of this limited company under the wings of Wageningen University itself already highly qualifies the costs they calculated. The report also warns that the amounts should only be used as a guideline. It is shameful that a cost comparison is based on such an inadequate document and then put alongside a biased single page about a future ideal system," says Robbert van Duin, chairman of Recycling Netwerk. "No wonder, either, that the report has never been released before. The fact that it is now being used by the abolitionist camp shows that they do not have the arguments on their side." While the municipalities officially want a postponement until 2015, Robbert van Duin believes that the deposit system should not be abolished at all. "For years, it has been the best collection system with the most environmental benefit at the lowest cost. Our analysis shows that Atsma's cost comparison is based on incorrectly allocated costs and many incorrect assumptions. Our corrections lead to the conclusion that abolishing the deposit system will actually lead to higher costs per collected bottle, and we are convinced that independent research will also show this. We therefore continue to advocate a business-like approach to deposits by government and industry." Recycling Netwerk, together with the municipalities and various waste companies, supports the petition "A real hero chooses deposits". On the website www.echteheld.nl, over 18,000 Dutch people have now indicated that they are in favour of expanding the deposit system. Letter from Recycling Netwerk to the I&M Committee Note "How it really is: costs of collecting PET bottles"