This article provides an interesting insight into how a system can be put in place where people get paid for returning cans and bottles. It covers the following questions:
- Is it a feasible approach that the government pays people to return cans and bottles rather than collecting them itself?
- Are there any examples of places where this system is in place?
- Has it been successful to bring a significant change in people’s behaviour?
- The environmental impact of cans and bottles
- What happens to cans and bottles that we throw away?
Can you get money for cans and bottles?
Yes, it turns out that we can actually get money for cans and bottles and create revenues from this environmentally-benefitting practice. As per the effectiveness of this approach, it is claimed that it is an effective one.
Certainly, paying people to return cans and bottles rather than collecting them themselves is a workable strategy for the government. This strategy is referred to as a deposit return mechanism (DRS).
By buying a can or bottle, consumers under a DRS pay a deposit that is repaid when they return the container to a designated collection location. The management of the collecting and recycling of the containers is the responsibility of the government or business.
A DRS can decrease litter and waste, boost recycling rates, and advance the circular economy, among other advantages. A DRS can assist in making sure that more cans and bottles are disposed of and recycled properly by providing incentives for customers to return their containers.
The establishment of a network of collection stations and the administration of the logistics for collecting and recycling the containers are among the infrastructural requirements and considerable investments needed to execute a DRS. Also, it could be difficult to guarantee that the system is user-friendly and convenient for all customers.
How much can we be paid for returning cans or bottles?
The exact figures will vary based on locations. A can may be worth $0.10. That means if you recycle 5000 cans, you can earn $100.
You can expect to earn around $0.05 per water bottle that you recycle. So, if you recycle 100 water bottles, you would earn about $5.00.
Are there any examples of places where this system is in place?
Certainly, there are numerous instances of places with a deposit return system (DRS). Here are some illustrations.
The “pfand” system, or German DRS, has been in use since 2003. Upon purchasing a beverage container, customers must pay a deposit of between 8 and 25 euros cents. This deposit is repaid when the customer returns the container to a collecting location, such as a grocery store or reverse vending machine. Following sorting, the containers are recycled.
The “Pantamera” DRS in Sweden has been in place since the 1980s. When purchasing a beverage container, consumers must pay a deposit of one to three kronor, which is refunded when the container is returned to a collection point. Following sorting, the containers are recycled.
With varying deposit amounts and collection methods, DRSs for beverage containers have been instituted in a number of Australian states and territories. For instance, in South Australia, beverage containers require a 10-cent deposit from consumers, which is reimbursed when the containers are returned to a collection site.
Has it been successful to bring a significant change in people’s behaviour?
In terms of encouraging recycling and bringing about a major change in people’s behaviour regarding the proper disposal of beverage containers, the installation of a deposit return system (DRS) has proven successful.
Research has indicated that DRSs, which encourage customers to return used containers for a refund, can increase recycling rates and decrease pollution. For instance, Germany has a beverage container recycling rate of almost 98%, compared to the EU’s average of about 45%.
A DRS can also encourage people to adopt more sustainable activities and assist spread knowledge about the value of recycling. Consumers can actively participate in recycling and observe the results of their actions by taking part in a DRS.
Why do we need to recycle cans and bottles?
Throughout their lifetimes, cans and bottles have had a considerable negative environmental impact. Can and bottle manufacturing uses a lot of energy and resources, which adds to greenhouse gas emissions and resource depletion. Cans and bottles are transported, which adds to air pollution and carbon emissions.
Cans and bottles can wind up in landfills or as trash in the environment when they are disposed of illegally, where they can take hundreds of years to degrade. This may endanger wildlife and contaminate the land and water sources.
When recycled, however, cans and bottles can also benefit the environment. Recycling glass bottles and aluminium cans reduces greenhouse gas emissions and resource depletion since it uses less energy and resources than creating new ones.
Recycling lessens the quantity of waste that pollutes the environment and landfills, protecting ecosystems and wildlife. To lessen the environmental impact of cans and bottles, it is crucial to properly dispose of them and give recycling a top priority.
What if we do not recycle?
Cans and bottles must be disposed of properly to have the least amount of negative environmental effects. Cans and bottles should be recycled instead of thrown away since recycling saves resources, lowers greenhouse gas emissions, and produces less trash overall.
Cans and bottles are collected, sorted, and processed during recycling to produce new items. Recycling aluminium cans lower greenhouse gas emissions and resource depletion since it uses substantially less energy and resources than manufacturing new ones.
Because glass can be melted down and used to produce new bottles, recycling glass bottles also saves energy and resources. Emptying cans and bottles into the appropriate recycling bins are crucial for proper disposal. This can help prevent them from ending up in landfills or littering the environment, where they can harm wildlife and pollute soil and waterways.
Conclusion:
It is concluded that we can actually be paid for cans and bottles and we will find many examples around the globe.
The introduction of a deposit return system (DRS) has been effective in persuading people to change their behaviour, dispose of their beverage containers appropriately, and promote recycling. The success of a DRS, however, is dependent on a number of variables, including the amount of the deposit, the accessibility of the collecting stations, and public awareness efforts.
People can still promote sustainable behaviours even in places without a DRS by participating in community clean-up events, joining neighbourhood environmental clubs, creating recycling initiatives, and patronizing eco-friendly companies.
References:
- Walls, M. (2011). Deposit-refund systems in practice and theory. Resources for the future discussion paper, (11-47).
- Kulshreshtha, P., & Sarangi, S. (2001). “No return, no refund”: an analysis of deposit-refund systems. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 46(4), 379-394.
- Bouliane, Nicolas. (December 26, 2022). The Pfand system: how to return bottles in Germany. Retrieved from: https://allaboutberlin.com/guides/pfand-bottles
- Abejón, R., Laso, J., Margallo, M., Aldaco, R., Blanca-Alcubilla, G., Bala, A., & Fullana-i-Palmer, P. (2020). Environmental impact assessment of the implementation of a Deposit-Refund System for packaging waste in Spain: A solution or an additional problem? Science of The Total Environment, 721, 137744.
- Dace, E., Pakere, I., & Blumberg, D. (2013). Evaluation of economic aspects of the deposit‐refund system for packaging in Latvia. Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, 24(3), 311-329.
- Agnusdei, G. P., Gnoni, M. G., & Sgarbossa, F. (2022). Are deposit-refund systems effective in managing glass packaging? State-of-the-art and future directions in Europe. Science of The Total Environment, 158256.