Return and earn!

I get all sorts of eco news clippings and notes left on my desk by my colleagues. One that caught my eye this week was about the government looking to introduce a drinks container deposit refund scheme which would help to reduce litter and drive down the cost of waste disposal. This reminds me of when I was little when you would get 5p if you returned used pop bottles. It was a great way to supplement my pocket money and a good way to avoid them going to a landfill which is a waste of resources and expensive!

Research has shown that a deposit refund scheme would require little initial investment and the running costs would largely be met by the revenue it generates, so under the scheme, each glass bottle, plastic bottle and can would be subjected to a small deposit, which would be determined by its size. For example, for bottles and cans under 500ml a charge of 15p would apply, bigger containers would have a 30p deposit. Consumers could then get this deposit back if they return the containers to a collection point or to the retailer.

In Europe, they have already trialed the scheme and seen a 90 percent return rate. If this was replicated in the UK, about £491 million would be raised through unclaimed deposits. It is also estimated that the scheme could deliver net savings of £1.2 billion to the environment.

Money Saving Tip

Try looking for shops that offer refills on products. A health food shop in my area offers refills on washing up liquid and washing liquids. You save money (you already have paid for the packaging) and the product is often eco friendly too.