PLASTIC COLLECTION REQUIRES MANAGEMENT

Environmental movement wants better approach and retention of deposits

The environmental movement is asking the House of Representatives not only to decide that more plastic must be recycled, but also to ensure that plastic collection yields environmental benefits. The collection of plastic packaging waste only makes sense if it leads to high-quality recycling. This requires direction in order to exploit all possibilities. That is why the environmental movement also wants legal protection for the existing deposit system.

According to Recycling Netwerk and Stichting Natuur en Milieu, the existing deposit system for plastic bottles is under threat of dismantling. The environmental movement believes that the plastic collection system that would replace it has not been thought through well enough. Robbert van Duin of Recycling Netwerk: “The current plans for plastic collection are not aimed at achieving environmental benefits and a vision for the ultimate goal is lacking. There is a risk of a fiasco that will not lead to environmental benefits in the coming years, but to more greenhouse gas emissions.”

As regards the further design of plastic collection, Recycling Netwerk and Natuur en Milieu conclude that climate policy not only requires (much) more recycling, but also high-quality plastic recycling. For this, it is necessary to provide a tailored approach to collection: as many clean and unmixed fractions as possible. This costs significantly more than is foreseen in a framework agreement between the minister, the business community and municipalities. But as the environmental movement writes in its letter to the House of Representatives: “Extra collection of plastic waste is great, but only if it also yields extra environmental benefits.”

From an environmental point of view, deposit systems are by far the best collection systems: they always yield clean and unmixed waste. But deposit systems have strong opponents.

The retail sector suggests that the deposit on plastic soft drink bottles will probably be abolished in two years' time. Only the bare minimum should be invested to keep the deposit system running for a little while longer. The intention was to retain the deposit unless - in 2013 - it is proven that plastic collection using bins yields comparably good results. The environmental movement now fears a creeping dismantling of the deposit system and is strongly calling for a statutory regulation of the deposit system until at least 2013.

Download our letter of 24-09-2007 to the House of Representatives”

Download article CBL: deposit on bottle abolished after 2009 (Distrifood 25-08-2007)

Download article Do not invest in reverse vending machines yet (Vakcentrum newsletter)

Environmental movement wants better approach and retention of deposits

The environmental movement is asking the House of Representatives not only to decide that more plastic must be recycled, but also to ensure that plastic collection yields environmental benefits. The collection of plastic packaging waste only makes sense if it leads to high-quality recycling. This requires direction in order to exploit all possibilities. That is why the environmental movement also wants legal protection for the existing deposit system. According to Recycling Netwerk and Stichting Natuur en Milieu, the existing deposit system for plastic bottles is under threat of dismantling. The environmental movement believes that the plastic collection system that would replace it has not been thought through well enough. Robbert van Duin of Recycling Netwerk: “The current plans for plastic collection are not aimed at achieving environmental benefits and a vision for the ultimate goal is lacking. There is a risk of a fiasco that will not lead to environmental benefits in the coming years, but to more greenhouse gas emissions.” As regards the further design of plastic collection, Recycling Netwerk and Natuur en Milieu conclude that climate policy not only requires (much) more recycling, but also high-quality plastic recycling. For this, it is necessary to provide a tailored approach to collection: as many clean and unmixed fractions as possible. This costs significantly more than is foreseen in a framework agreement between the minister, the business community and municipalities. But as the environmental movement writes in its letter to the House of Representatives: “Extra collection of plastic waste is great, but only if it also yields extra environmental benefits.” Deposit systems are by far the best collection systems from an environmental point of view: they always yield clean and unmixed waste. But deposit systems have strong opponents. The retail sector suggests that the deposit on plastic soft drink bottles will probably be abolished in two years' time. Only the bare minimum should be invested to keep the deposit system running for a little while longer. The intention was to retain the deposit unless - in 2013 - it is proven that plastic collection using bins yields comparably good results. The environmental movement now fears a creeping dismantling of the deposit system and is strongly calling for a statutory regulation of the deposit system until at least 2013. Download our letter of 24-09-2007 to the House of Representatives”

Download article CBL: deposit on bottle abolished after 2009 (Distrifood 25-08-2007) Download article Do not invest in reverse vending machines yet (Vakcentrum newsletter)