REAL HERO asks for support for deposit return scheme

“A real hero chooses a deposit”. Under this slogan, a campaign is starting throughout the Netherlands this month to prevent the abolition of bottle deposits.

The campaign is a reaction to plans to abolish the deposit system for large plastic bottles. Earlier this week, at the opening of a sorting plant for plastic packaging waste, a new step was taken on the path towards abolishing deposits. The State Secretary for the Environment described the abolition of deposits as a 'reward for the packaging industry' when plastic collection by Plastic Hero ensures sufficient recycling.

The initiative from environmental organisations, waste companies and municipalities wants to maintain the deposit on bottles and extend it to include a deposit on small plastic bottles, because that ensures the highest collection results, the best recycling and the lowest clean-up costs.

The aim of the campaign is therefore a mandatory deposit on all plastic drinks bottles. The 'real hero' wants to not only maintain the great environmental benefit of deposits, but also expand it significantly.

“Deposits on plastic bottles deliver the greatest benefit to the environment at the lowest cost. With the addition of small plastic bottles, the deposit system yields even more. And moreover, we will then be rid of a significant portion of street litter and litter in nature.”

according to Robbert van Duin, chairman of the brand-new Stichting Ons Statiegeld (SOS) which is organising the campaign.

The website www.echteheld.nl, launched by SOS at the start of the campaign, goes into detail about the standpoints, arguments and the current state of affairs regarding deposits. In addition, it provides a striking picture of the course of the discussion that has been raging for twenty years between supporters (environmental organisations, municipalities, waste companies, scientists) and opponents (supermarket chains and the packaging industry).