Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme hits one billion recycled containers
Re-turn celebrates a major milestone as one billion drinks containers are returned across Ireland, marking a significant step in the country’s sustainability journey
Print7 February 2025
Re-turn, the operator of Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), is today celebrating the milestone of one billion drinks containers returned by the Irish public.
This milestone shows the number of bottles and cans now returned would be enough to circle the globe 4.7 times.
The one billionth drinks container was returned to Lidl, Kilcarbery, Dublin on Tuesday, 4 February, as daily return numbers continue to grow from thousands in February 2024, to now reaching more than five million a day on several occasions, one year on from the launch of the Scheme.
Return for Children
Since Return for Children launched in June, drinks containers have been donated to the initiative at public events, raising €90,000 to date.
Return for Children was created to support six national children’s charities, Barnardos Ireland, Barretstown, Childline by ISPCC, Jack and Jill, LauraLynn Children’s Hospice, and Make-A-Wish Ireland. Collectively, these six charities support over 165,000 vulnerable and seriously ill children across Ireland.
As a circular economy initiative, Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme is a not-for-profit organisation tasked with achieving EU recycling targets and the move away from the ‘take, make and dispose’ culture to one of returning valuable materials and keeping them in the economy for as long as possible.
Through the Deposit Return Scheme, aluminium cans can be recycled infinitely while PET plastic bottles can be recycled multiple times, reducing the need for the use of virgin materials. By returning drinks containers, consumers are contributing to a sustainable future and guaranteeing that materials are recycled into new drinks containers.
Growing support
“It is a fantastic achievement to have one billion drinks containers returned, and it is great to see the growing support which is evident through the daily number of bottles and cans being returned,” said Ciaran Foley, chief executive officer, Re-turn.
The impact of the Scheme in the community is also something to be celebrated with more than 2,200 community initiatives nationwide fundraising through the DRS, according to Foley.
“DRS is already making a real difference – recycling rates are improving, litter is reducing, the environment is cleaner and community groups, schools, charities and sports clubs are benefitting greatly from the refunds,” said Alan Dillon, Minister of state for small business and retail and circular economy.
Dillon noted that this is a fantastic achievement for Re-turn and its members, the producers and retailers, who have worked so hard to make DRS a success.
Communities and event organisers who want to fundraise through Deposit Return for ‘Return for Children’ or their own chosen initiatives can get further guidance on how to do so by contacting communities@re-turn.ie.
Read more: Deposit Return Scheme hits milestone with 900m bottles and cans returned
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