Deposit on small plastic bottles a step closer

Deposit on small plastic bottles has come a lot closer today in the Netherlands. Producers of soft drinks and water will be obliged to introduce a deposit on plastic bottles of less than 1 litre when the text of the legal decree, which was published in the Staatscourant today, becomes effective.

A great first step in the legislative process. It is also particularly good that the target of 90 percent recycling of all plastic beverage bottles is anchored in the law. However, it cannot be that the collection obligation for supermarkets and large outlets disappears from the law. That opens the door to frustrating the introduction of the deposit system. This is what environmental organisation Recycling Netwerk said in an initial response to the publication of the draft regulations in the Staatscourant on Monday.

The deposit must apply to all plastic bottles and beverage packaging. However, Article 6a of the draft regulations limits the deposit to bottles smaller than 1 litre. Large bottles must also be quick to integrate into the law (currently there is only a voluntary agreement). It is also better to speak of plastic beverage packaging rather than plastic bottles. The government must watch out for companies that switch to plastic squeeze pouches or plastic 'containers' and would thus, by means of a trick, fall outside the scope of the law.

Due to the replacement of Article 12 in the draft regulations, the new Decree lacks the obligation for supermarkets and large outlets to collect the plastic bottles with deposit. Without that collection obligation, certain outlets can refuse to cooperate. Consequently, the introduction of the deposit system is in jeopardy. Outlets with an area smaller than 200 square metres can be exempted, as was done in the old Decree. Larger collection points should have a legal obligation to take the packaging back. This is also important for the convenience of the citizen.

It is good that Article 12, paragraph 3 of the draft regulations places the responsibility for the costs of the deposit system on the producers.

The draft regulations do not mention deposit on cans. In order to prevent a lengthy legislative process at a later date, it is better to leave open the option to regulate deposit on cans in this Decree directly. There are more cans than bottles on the streets. Cans also pose a danger to cows.

In Article 12, paragraph 1, the draft regulations only speak of deposit on water and soft drinks, but this should be extended to juices and other drinks. The recent European Directive on single-use plastics stipulates that 90% of all PET bottles must be collected separately by 2029. This also includes the PET bottles that contain juice, for example. It is less likely that this European target will be met if there is no deposit on, for example, juices in PET bottles in the Netherlands.

In 2018, all provinces, more than 90 percent of Dutch municipalities and hundreds of organisations joined the Deposit Alliance. They demand the immediate introduction of a deposit, meaning without further delay for the industry. Agricultural organisation LTO, multinational Ecover, supermarket Ekoplaza and ASN Bank also became partners of the Deposit Alliance.

See also: Letter from State Secretary Stientje van Veldhoven to the House of Representatives: Draft Decree measures small plastic beverage bottles