One of the main reasons for the growth of DRSs worldwide is their proven effectiveness at attaining high recycling rates; international experience consistently shows that drinks container recycling rates are significantly higher in jurisdictions with DRS than those without. In Europe, most countries with DRSs in place achieve recycling rates above 90%, diverting significant quantities of drinks containers from disposal and keeping that material circulating in the economy.
Our latest fact sheet, “Deposit return systems: How they perform” presents the most up-to-date performance data for DRSs worldwide. Also included is an overview of some of the key factors that influence return rates, including deposit/refund levels and levels of convenience.
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Deposit return systems: How they perform
Countries, states, and provinces that have implemented deposit return systems (DRS) consistently achieve higher collection rates for drinks containers than those that rely solely on municipal kerbside collection programmes.