Ireland’s deposit return scheme saw a record 5.8 million drinks containers returned to machines across the country on Saturday June 27th.
The figure is the highest ever in one single day, contributing to the more than 3 billion bottles and cans that have been returned via the scheme since its introduction in February 2024.
“Every container returned helps keep valuable material in circulation, reduce litter and support a more circular economy,” chief executive of Re-turn Ciarán Foley said.
Separately, a spokesman for Re-turn said a typical day in June this year saw less than five million returns on average. Around 800 million additional bottles and cans are now being recycled each year.
RM Block
However, Foley told RTÉ Radio’s David McCullagh show on Thursday that 14 per cent of plastic bottles and drinks cans were going through mixed dry recycling, which remains an issue.
The overall target is to reach 90 per cent returns by 2029; currently the level is between 78 per cent and 79 per cent. Foley said “with a bit more education” that figure can achieved.
Foley said people don’t realise that they were “giving their money away” by putting Re-turn items in their domestic recycle bins and also urged those not interested in the voucher to donate it instead.
On the problem of scavenging through bins, which has led to some littering problems, Foley said, “Most people who are rummaging through bins do so in a respectful way but we fully accept that there’s an issue.” Dublin City Council recently said it had spent €857,000 on bin repairs and additional clean-ups as a result of such scavenging.
Re-turn says it is currently working through the findings of its independent research and is working with Dublin City Council on solving the issue.
Meanwhile, the Re-turn spokesman said more than €940,000 has been donated directly to charities and community groups via the donation feature enabled on 1,700 of the 2,800 machines across Ireland.
He said more than 5,200 schools, clubs, charities and community groups are using the scheme to raise funds for local causes.
Re-turn separately has raised €515,000 for six children’s charities including Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation and Make-A-Wish Ireland.
The spokesman said the scheme has helped clubs such as Meath Camogie, which raised €270,000 through the scheme to support the development of its new grounds.
Research has shown the returns scheme was popular, with 78 per cent of people viewing it as a good thing, and 96 per cent of people saying they had used it, he said.
Foley said the progress is “thanks to the people of Ireland, who have embraced the scheme and made returning bottles and cans part of everyday life”.
