Deposit return scheme works: Coca-Cola Netherlands to make all bottles from 100 percent recycled plastic

Because there will be a deposit on all Dutch plastic bottles next year, Coca-Cola Netherlands will soon make its plastic bottles from 100% recycled plastic. The beverage producer explains this in a press release.

“We congratulate Coca-Cola Netherlands, because this is a very important step towards a lower climate footprint by reducing the use of virgin plastic. This shows that deposit schemes work. Deposits encourage companies to move towards a local, sustainable and circular economy,” environmental organisation Recycling Netwerk Benelux responds with delight.

This is also a boost for the Dutch government. State Secretary Stientje van Veldhoven decided in April 2020 that there would also be a deposit on small plastic bottles from 1 July 2021. Barely five months later, the market leader is already announcing that soon all its plastic bottles in the Netherlands will consist of 100% recycled plastic.

Cans

A similar process is currently underway for beverage cans as was previously the case for small plastic bottles. Rijkswaterstaat monitors the number of cans in litter. If the companies involved do not succeed in reducing the number of cans in nature by 70 percent and collecting 90% of the cans separately, a deposit will also be introduced for cans, Minister van Veldhoven promised.

“Beverage producers like Coca-Cola do not have to wait for this. We call on them to speak out in favour of a deposit on cans now. The fact that the market leader is now embracing the deposit on plastic bottles should also encourage policymakers to start working on a deposit for cans as well,” concludes Recycling Netwerk Benelux.

Belgium

The decision by Coca-Cola Netherlands does have a bitter aftertaste for Belgium. At the bottom of the press release, Coca-Cola warns that the bottles made in Belgium (3 per cent of their bottles on the Dutch market) will not be made of recycled plastic.

In Belgium, it has not yet been decided to introduce a deposit on plastic bottles. This makes it difficult for companies to buy high-quality recycled plastic on the local market. “The Belgian governments must react quickly: otherwise, the lack of a deposit scheme will become a handicap for Belgian beverage factories,” warns Recycling Netwerk.

Litter is one of the biggest annoyances for citizens. Every year, cleaning up litter in Flanders alone swallows up 134.7 million euros of taxpayers' money, and the societal cost is much higher, at least half a billion per year. With a deposit scheme, 70 to 90 per cent fewer cans and bottles end up in litter. Deposit schemes in 40 countries prove to be the most efficient and effective solution to litter. 8 out of 10 Belgians support the measure.

Related articles:

FD, Coca-Cola Netherlands switches to recycled plastic bottles

RTL Nieuws, Deposit scheme works: Coca-Cola is finally going to recycle all bottles

Het Laatste Nieuws, Soon all Coca-Cola bottles in the Netherlands made of 100% recycled plastic

Coca-Cola European Partners, Coca-Cola in Western Europe transitions to 100% recycled plastic (rPET) bottles in two more markets

Resource, Coca-Cola to transition to 100 per rPET in Netherlands and Norway