House of Representatives in favour of deposit scheme: time to push through

Recycling Netwerk is delighted now that there appears to be a parliamentary majority in favour of retaining the deposit system. The previous cabinet had intended to abolish deposits on large plastic bottles. “Rutte I had not anticipated, however, that there would be so much resistance to this plan. Now there is a new parliament and common sense is speaking,” says a satisfied Robbert van Duin, chairman of Recycling Netwerk.

Recycling Netwerk, a coalition of environmental organisations including Milieudefensie and Greenpeace Netherlands, is one of the initiators of the campaign “A real hero chooses deposits”. The motto of this campaign is: deposits, do not abolish but expand. Part of the campaign is a petition that has been signed by around 30,000 Dutch citizens.

Remco Dijkstra, Member of Parliament for the VVD, reacted with annoyance to the news. Dijkstra believes that recycling and combating litter are better handled by an agreement “that has now been concluded with the packaging industry”. Retaining deposits goes against this and would lead to “unreliable” government policy.