Reverse vending machine (RVM) supplier TOMRA Collective has congratulated Irish retailers and consumers on a successful first year under the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).
Since the launch of the scheme on 1 February 2024, TOMRA has partnered with Irish retailers to integrate RVMs and make recycling more efficient and accessible.
With littered bottles and cans down 50% nationwide since the scheme started, Ireland is now on track to meet its EU recycling targets, reinforcing the environmental and social impact of the DRS.
The DRS sees a small deposit charge applied to bottles and cans, which is refunded to shoppers when they return empty, undamaged containers to return points.
Since the scheme started, Irish consumers have returned over a billion containers, according to operators of the scheme Re-turn.
Meanwhile, research from Re-turn shows that some 84% of the public have participated, leading directly to the 50% drop in drinks container litter.
Throughout the year, TOMRA has worked closely with large and medium-sized retailers to integrate RVMs, helping businesses efficiently adapt to the DRS.
With RVMs installed in supermarkets, convenience stores and forecourts nationwide, TOMRA has helped businesses and the public adapt to the new system.
Founded in 1972, TOMRA provides an automated solution for Clean Loop Recycling to ensure bottles and cans can be recycled into new containers.
Today, the Norwegian recycling company provides advanced recycling and collection solutions to over 60 markets worldwide, deploying approximately 85,000 RVMs globally.
‘Lasting Change’
Speaking about the first year of the scheme, the CEO of Re-turn Ciaran Foley said, “One year since its launch, Ireland’s DRS has exceeded all expectations.
“To date, over a billion drinks containers have been returned through the scheme.
“At current rates, Ireland is on track to recycle approximately 630 million more bottles and cans on an annual basis than we received prior to the introduction of the scheme.
“We look forward to building on the positive environmental and social effects of the scheme in 2025.”
The managing director of TOMRA Ireland Peter Whelan added, “Thanks to the unwavering support from all sectors of society, we are on track to make Ireland a leader in sustainability.
“This programme has demonstrated that when we come together to take action, we can create lasting change that benefits our environment and future generations.”
Read More: Deposit Return Scheme Reaches 1 Billion Drinks Containers Returned
