Returning cans and plastic bottles

S

someCitizen

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Like many others, I was initially annoyed by the rollout of the re-turn scheme, but I've changed my mind about it over the past week.

I understand that my circumstances are personal and may not be representative of most people.

In the evenings, I go for walks around the area. There are two shopping centers nearby, which generate a lot of litter.

Last week, I started taking a plastic bag with me to collect any cans and plastic bottles I saw. At first, I was apprehensive about being seen picking up rubbish, but I soon got over it.

This morning, I went to the shop and returned nearly 10 euros worth of cans and bottles. I did have to ask a staff member to fix the machine, as it wasn't working when I arrived.

Here are my thoughts:
- I have an incentive to keep the local area cleaner.
- Those who litter now "pay" for the privilege.
- The environment is a bit cleaner.

I think I will take one of the small kids here to show them they can make a small environmental impact and get immediate value for doing so.

I've completely changed my mind and now wish they'd expand the scheme to include all the coffee cups littering the area too!
 
With this scheme... "your mileage may vary", experience of it is down to a lot of factors. You've been able to make the scheme work for you.

Through a combination of returning some littered items, and items bought before the deposit scheme rolled out but which kept same barcode - I'm "up" a few euros myself on the scheme.

But as a whole, there's a lot of flaws in the scheme.

The rollout was a shambles, with stores charging deposits on non returnable items.

Takeaways are selling non-Return logo Polish stock. Will this be checked by Councils post 1st June as they are supposed to?

Will Councils check items on store shelves to ensure they are actually in the scheme?

Mr Price say they take manual returns, so don't have an RVM machine - yet ask at the counter about manual returns and they staff don't have a clue. No enforcement.

The machines were supposed to be wheelchair accessible, a lot of complaints that they are not.

Items being sold in absurd locations such as Dublin airport and ferry ports being charged deposits.

Many locations where people don't have an RVM within walking distance due to the very large exemption granted under the scheme compared to schemes elsewhere (250 square metres - originally 150 was proposed).

Impacted by the above also are people who get home deliveries,.

Machines frequently out of order, even at major retailers.
 
I hate the dirt and mess around the RVMs, especially when they're located inside a store. I haven't used too many (not a big user of bottles/cans), but when I went to return some to my local Lidl RVM, I had to sidestep liquid on the floor directly in front of the RVM. Lidl do provide a "sink" to empty liquids before putting into the machine, but obviously it's not being used by everyone. To add to the mess, I frequently see discarded bottles/cans/bags around the RVM, in the foyer of the store.

I'm sure the shop staff are totally fed up with this scheme already.

On a positive note, one of our local charities has started a bottle/can collection scheme where the public can drop off bottles/cans to the charity and they will convert them into cash. The charity has also liaised with local restaurants, pubs, etc, will provide a collection barrel on request to the premises and will collect the barrel to convert to cash. In the first 4 weeks, the charity raised about 300 euro.
 
Disclaimer: I've never had to use a machine, and as a family, we've only had about 1-2 items a month for return and it wasn't me in the shops those days.

But, when I'm out on my walk like OP, I see rubbish on the ground (not taken to picking it up yet) but I see a lot of land fill bins (black bin in my area), with cans and recycling sticking out of them - or visa versa clear non-recyclables sticking out of Recycling bins. I do feel that its an inconvenience added on people because a proportion of the population can't follow the rules (yes added to by lack of recycling facilities outside, but having seen even within offices people can't differentiate between recyclable and non-recyclable. )

With respect to non-Return logo Polish stock, there was a 4 month intro period. This ended June 1st. From article in the Independent, shops can be fined up to 5k for non-compliance.
www.independent.ie

Warning of weekend queues as ban on selling non-Deposit Return Scheme bottles and cans begins

The operators of the Deposit Return Scheme are advising shoppers to return their empty bottles and cans midweek to avoid weekend queues.
www.independent.ie www.independent.ie

From article linked above on June 1st : Re-turn is asking any shopper who is sold a beverage without a Re-turn logo after today to report the details at info@re-turn.ie.
 
I use the machines every week at my local SuperValu shop. I cannot confirm that there is any rubbish around or liquid on the ground. Neither does the place look untidy or smells. I never had to wait either to be able to use the machine.
But I can confirm that some people still throw away their empty bottles and cans. All you have to do is pick them up in the streets or on the road and bring them to the shop. Free money!
 
The last two bin days, I have seen a woman out early checking the green bins and taking the returnable items out of it.

Do the cans in the green bins go to a different place than the cans returned to the shops?

Brendan
 
Brendan Burgess said:
The last two bin days, I have seen a woman out early checking the green bins and taking the returnable items out of it.

Do the cans in the green bins go to a different place than the cans returned to the shops?

Brendan
Click to expand...
Ultimately they go to the same place, there's more sorting involved if put in green bin to separate out.

And they are valuable materials on re-sale market, aluminium cans more than PET bottles. Aluminium cans were included in the scheme not because we weren't meeting targets on them, but to help fund operation of the entire scheme.

It is probable bin companies will increase charges to compensate.
 
dem_syhp said:
Disclaimer: I've never had to use a machine, and as a family, we've only had about 1-2 items a month for return and it wasn't me in the shops those days.

But, when I'm out on my walk like OP, I see rubbish on the ground (not taken to picking it up yet) but I see a lot of land fill bins (black bin in my area), with cans and recycling sticking out of them - or visa versa clear non-recyclables sticking out of Recycling bins. I do feel that its an inconvenience added on people because a proportion of the population can't follow the rules (yes added to by lack of recycling facilities outside, but having seen even within offices people can't differentiate between recyclable and non-recyclable. )

With respect to non-Return logo Polish stock, there was a 4 month intro period. This ended June 1st. From article in the Independent, shops can be fined up to 5k for non-compliance.
www.independent.ie

Warning of weekend queues as ban on selling non-Deposit Return Scheme bottles and cans begins

The operators of the Deposit Return Scheme are advising shoppers to return their empty bottles and cans midweek to avoid weekend queues.
www.independent.ie www.independent.ie

From article linked above on June 1st : Re-turn is asking any shopper who is sold a beverage without a Re-turn logo after today to report the details at info@re-turn.ie.
Click to expand...
They can be fined for non-compliance, I wouldn't hold your breath on it given it is in the hands of local council, who have many other priorities. I haven't heard any reports of any staff being hired to police it.

I don't think Re-turn have any enforcement powers either.
 
dem_syhp said:
From article linked above on June 1st : Re-turn is asking any shopper who is sold a beverage without a Re-turn logo after today to report the details at info@re-turn.ie.
Click to expand...
Don’t get your hopes up. I’ve sent two emails with questions about the operation of the scheme to that email address and neither one received an acknowledgment let alone a response.
 
Do the cans still have to be fully round and undented to get the refund ? I'm annoyed at (sit in) cafes and restaurants who charge the deposit but don't give it back when you finish only to tell you they're exempt and you need to take it elsewhere. This has now become their tip from me so they servers lose out. (I always gave 30c before :p)
 
No, It is the barcode that is read, so keep this flat.
Also, some machines insist on the bottom of the container going in first.
 
Yeah, I've recycled up to 100 now, in various conditions!
I just make sure they are all clean and dry and the barcode clearly shows.
 
This tested my patience this week!

I had only once previously used the machine and that was in the earlier days, most of my cans were rejected (Dunnes Stores), I figured ok they must have been old stock etc so I threw them in the recycling bin.

Roll on this week and I had a bag, I buy very few cans and no bottles, anyway I knew they were all fairly recent and that I had paid a deposit as they were only from 2 purchases of multi pack minerals. I had to go to Lidl for a few things so decided to pop them in that machine. First machine looked like it was taking a can so I popped in the second one, however it tried to spit back the first one but the second one stopped it coming out fully, nothing was happening so I reached in which you shouldn't do of course and pulled out the second can, the first just remained where it was in no mans land!

Moved to second machine and it would only take maybe every second one then it gave up altogether and told me something like incorrect use or similar and a big red X on screen. So I was there and nothing happening, it would take no more, next it spit out a voucher for the few it took so I put the bag of cans back in the car.

I stopped by Dunnes on my way to Aldi but both of their machines were out of action, on to Aldi and said I'd have another go, their machine took every can I had without any hesitation or spitting back, very odd altogether considering Lidl didn't like them!

Friends of mine clean holiday cottages as a sideline, they are making a small fortune collecting bottles and cans and converting them to supermarket vouchers to use at Christmas, they had 50 quid odd from just last weekend's work, how bad!
 
agree - having to store them in the house pending going to the return machine, when we always placed in the recycling bin. daftest idea they've come up with in a long time....
 
The kids love this scheme. We know most of the green bin waste is not recycled. I wonder does this increase the recycling rate. I’d say so.
 
Bank Manager said:
agree - having to store them in the house pending going to the return machine, when we always placed in the recycling bin. daftest idea they've come up with in a long time....
Click to expand...
It was around up to the early 80's for glass bottles.

Many European countries have had the plastic bottle and aluminium can return scheme introduced.

It's not perfect, but the difference in the level of cans and bottles in parks I frequent is amazing.
I believe it's the same for beaches.

Some people will purely focus on a relatively minor negative aspects of the scheme, but it is already showing to be hugely beneficial.

Not only that, but there is more space available in the recycling bin - and these days almost all plastic including soft plastic wrapping is now recyclable. - so much so that we now only put the rubbish bin out once every 6 weeks.
 
Rediculous scheme, to say the least...

I'm not sure what's annoying me more, the great "success" claims from the operators etc., where they tell us that "X" number of items have been returned to date (no doubt, with a similar number less, now going in our green bins), or the need to clean and store these cans and plastic bottles, then bring them to a recycling machine, and if I'm lucky, end up with a voucher for the nearest shop.

The only thing we're missing now, is for a story to break, about it being a relative of one of the Government ministers, who owns the company providing the recycle machines :-(

I've a feeling there'll be a few less Greens on the councils, in a week, or so....
 
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