Only 50% of cans collected in 2023, political intervention needed

Press release: Reaction of the Fair Resource Foundation to Verpact's new return rates on the deposit system. Only 50% of cans were collected in 2023.

Suze Govers

2 Apr 2024

Today, a new report from Verpact was published featuring collection figures for plastic bottles and cans. For both beverage containers, the law stipulates that 90% must be collected; for bottles as of 2022, and for cans from the year 2024*. Today's figures show that this target is far from being met. For bottles, this is the second year in a row, while for cans, these are the first figures. Virtually no progress made in achieving statutory target for plastic bottles The collection rate for plastic bottles in 2023 remains stuck at 71%. In 2022, 68% of large and small plastic bottles were returned. This means that in one year, progress of only 3% has been made, and that we are virtually just as far from the statutory collection target of 90% as we were in 2022. "Comparisons with countries such as Norway and Denmark, which according to Verpact took 8 to 11 years to achieve 90% collection, do not hold up. There was no legally binding target there as in the Netherlands, so those examples are not relevant. Furthermore, there are countries where it does succeed: for instance, in Lithuania, more than 90% of deposit-bearing beverage containers were returned after just 1.5 years," said Suze Govers on behalf of Fair Resource Foundation. Only 50% of cans collected in 2023 For cans, Verpact suggests in their press release that 65% are returned. When you look at the underlying figures in Verpact's report, it appears that a favourable snapshot has been chosen. A simple calculation based on the bar chart below shows that collection between 1 April and 31 December 2023 actually comes closer to 50%. This means that there is a very large backlog for cans, making it unlikely that the target will be met in 2024.* This 50% also indicates that the collection of deposit cans is not gaining momentum any faster than for bottles, contrary to what Verpact itself communicates in its report. Image source: Verpact, 2024 Verpact funds the deposit system with consumer money Between 2021 and 2023, according to Verpact, 374 million euros in deposits were not returned to consumers. This amount is even higher than previously assumed and calculated. According to Verpact, this uncollected deposit money is largely invested in improving the deposit system. However, the deposit system should be funded by the industry and not with consumer money. Furthermore, the industry itself is still investing far too little; they have barely invested in new machines, whereas thousands of machines should be added. It is important to contrast these low investments from the industry with the fact that the producer contribution was reduced by up to 10% in early 2023. "Previously, the cleanup costs of the many cans and bottles in litter were passed on to society; now, the industry is making consumers pay for the deposit system by setting up a poor system and causing low collection rates. It is time for political intervention; the call to the government to take control is growing louder and we support this," says Fair Resource Foundation. The call to the government is also evident from two motions recently adopted by the House of Representatives. The motion by member Bamenga (D66) et al. obliges Verpact to report annually on how uncollected deposits are spent, while a motion by member Kostic (PvdD) ensures that aspects such as enforceability and the legal quality of the law are included in the evaluation of the deposit legislation in 2024. Evaluation of the 2024 deposit law An evaluation of the deposit law is scheduled for 2024, and the government must seize this moment to regain control and correct what has gone wrong. The most important thing is that consumers can return their bottle and can at any point of sale in exchange for their deposit, and that uncollected deposit money is no longer misused for the financial gain of the industry. Our proposals for improvement On the finances of the deposit system: The perverse incentive whereby Verpact currently benefits financially from a poorly designed system and low collection rates must go: uncollected deposits should no longer benefit Verpact; Politicians must find a solution for a sustainable spending of the already accumulated uncollected deposits; In the meantime, we call on Verpact to take its social responsibility and engage with various stakeholders to find a sustainable purpose for this money. On improving collection: The law must state that the deposit system is a supply chain responsibility

Virtually no progress made in achieving statutory target for plastic bottles

The collection rate for plastic bottles in 2023 remains stuck at 71%. In 2022, 68% of large and small plastic bottles were returned. This means that in one year, progress of only 3% has been made, and that we are virtually just as far from the statutory collection target of 90% as we were in 2022.

“Comparisons with countries such as Norway and Denmark, which according to Verpact took 8 to 11 years to achieve 90% collection, do not hold up. There was no legally binding target there as in the Netherlands, so those examples are not relevant. Furthermore, there are countries where it does succeed: for instance, in Lithuania, more than 90% of deposit-bearing beverage containers were returned after just 1.5 years,” said Suze Govers on behalf of Fair Resource Foundation.

Only 50% of cans collected in 2023

For cans, Verpact suggests in their press release that 65% are returned. When you look at the underlying figures in Verpact's report, it appears that a favourable snapshot has been chosen. A simple calculation based on the bar chart below shows that collection between 1 April and 31 December 2023 actually comes closer to 50%.

This means that there is a very large backlog for cans, making it unlikely that the target will be met in 2024.* This 50% also indicates that the collection of deposit cans is not gaining momentum any faster than for bottles, contrary to what Verpact itself communicates in its report.

Photo source: Verpact, 2024

Verpact funds the deposit system with consumer money

Between 2021 and 2023, according to Verpact, 374 million euros in deposits were not returned to consumers. This amount is even higher than previously assumed and calculated. According to Verpact, this uncollected deposit money is largely invested in improving the deposit system. However, the deposit system should be funded by the industry and not with consumer money. Furthermore, the industry itself is still investing far too little; they have barely invested in new machines, whereas thousands of machines should be added. It is important to contrast these low investments from the industry with the fact that the producer contribution was reduced by up to 10% in early 2023.

“Previously, the cleanup costs of the many cans and bottles in litter were passed on to society; now, the industry is making consumers pay for the deposit system by setting up a poor system and causing low collection rates. It is time for political intervention; the call to the government to take control is growing louder and we support this,” says Fair Resource Foundation.

The call to the government is also evident from two motions recently adopted by the House of Representatives. The motion by member Bamenga (D66) et al. obliges Verpact to report annually on how uncollected deposits are spent, while a motion by member Kostic (PvdD) ensures that aspects such as enforceability and the legal quality of the law are included in the evaluation of the deposit legislation in 2024.

Evaluation of the 2024 deposit law

In 2024, an evaluation of the deposit law is scheduled, and the government must seize this moment to regain control and correct what has gone wrong. The most important thing is that consumers can return their bottle and can at any point of sale in exchange for their deposit, and that uncollected deposit money is no longer misused for the financial gain of the industry.Our proposals for improvement

On the finances of the deposit system: The perverse incentive whereby Verpact currently benefits financially from a poorly designed system and low collection rates must go: uncollected deposit systems should no longer benefit Verpact;

Politicians must find a solution for a sustainable spending of the already accumulated uncollected deposits;

In the meantime, we call on Verpact to take its social responsibility and engage with various stakeholders to find a sustainable purpose for this money.

On improving collection: The law must state that the deposit system is a supply chain responsibility, both for producers and points of sale, and therefore points of sale must be obliged to collect bottles and cans and pay out deposits;

A higher deposit amount must be charged on bottles and cans;

Bottles with dairy and juices must be included in the deposit obligation;

Guaranteed return of deposits on dented bottles and cans.

*an earlier version of this article published online incorrectly stated that the target for cans already had to be met by 2023 and that Verpact was currently already in breach, whereas the target must be met from 2024 onwards.