The new recycling system

I've read back about 6 pages and haven't come across this query yet, I've seen one or two of the machines, they aren't particularly large, i've a teen son working in a very large supermarket here in Limerick, I might find where they have installed the machines, do the machines compact and reduce the size of the returned bottles? Is it true the bottle must be returned intact, no deformity or damage whatsoever to the bottle?

the reason for the question is manpower, in my sons busy supermarket is there a potential to have a return machine filled and out of action quickly, how happy are the supermarkets going to be when they realise the labour and manpower to keep these operational, don't get me wrong I'm in favour of some kind of scheme but I just cant get my head around if this is going to succeed.

I reckon a busy store could need one or two staff nearly dedicated to emptying and ensuring its functional, and they will also require another skip or container to store said returns securely to prevent theft while awaiting bulk collection

Grew up in canada as kid in the 70's best thing was attending big BBQ's or parties where empty beer bottles where collected and returned for money

done bit differently there as the beer is bought and sold thru government owned outlets, one track in for returns, order pay and use credit was all very seemless

Producer pays a membership fee to be part of re-turn (as they do in RePak). Producers and Retailers own re-turn on a not for profit basis. Any surplus gets re-invested or more likely leads to a marginally lower producer fee.

Producer pays a fee to put each bottle/can on the market.

Retailer gets a small fee for every bottle or can returned to cover buying the vending machine, operating (servicing) it, staff costs, etc. Retailers also get a fee if they dont have a vending machine but take returns and store them in bags. Retailers availing of the exemption dont get a fee.

Consumer pays deposit. Deposit goes to retailer, then to re-tturn.

When the consumer brings back the bottle, the retailer that they return it to has to offer them cash. That retailer then returns the bottles and return refunds the deposit and gives them their retailer handling fee.

Return sells the plastic and cans to the producers, who then get it turned into new cans and bottles. Producers have first call on the materials based on what they put on the market.

Return is funded through producer fees, unclaimed deposits (declining over time) and sale of materials.

No one makes big money.

Retailers get their costs covered and should do well on footfall.

Producers are obliged to solve the packaging problem for cans and bottles and this does that by paying to collect them in a way which means they can more easily be processed for reuse. Producers are paying a big price tag to fund the scheme but they'd be paying for some solution anyway.

Charities will probably make a few quid once they start persuading people to donate bottles and cans

Young kids will probably do very well as they did back in the early 80s, when a similar scheme funded the penny sweet market for many of us.

Litter drops, recycling of those specific items increases.

The machines crush them after they go in, once the barcode is read

Are you sure about this. I can see how it would work for crushing aluminium cans, but plastic bottles with the lid on them would take a lot of pressure to crush would they not?

Not saying you're wrong but there's enough haters out there that will jump on you if you have that wrong

I'm not searching all of the six or seven approved suppliers in the Irish scheme, but the Tomra ones definitely do. There is a description on their website. The eco-vend ones do too. Those are the suppliers I have experience of.

According to a fluffy article on breakingnews today, 'New Amárach research has revealed that 82 per cent of consumers support the introduction of the deposit return scheme'

I wonder what the sample size was on that survey because thats not at all what i get from talking to people about this.

100% apart from Board I wouldn’t have a clue this was coming

They have machines for plastic bottles in supermarkets in France. I had look last summer knowing that it was coming in here. Quite a lot of work to store and transport. These machine shred the bottles as you feed them in, looks quite efficient and vaguely satisfying, adding to the pile of blue “crystals” in the machine. In return you get a little printout which you get cash or goods for in the shop.

im not sure where you’d store them, these machines didn’t look like they’d take crushed bottles so that might be a challenge if you don’t have a garage or shed.

in a local village I saw a collection bin outside a community hall, I’m guessing someone looks after emptying it, maybe for charity? Maybe scouts or similar here will collect them?

Definitely will be people who wont have heard, but equally, the advertising campaign on radio tv and online has been pretty extensive. Also starting to see a lot of interviews with them in the papers and broadcast.

Yeah, I support the scheme but the advertising campaign has been shocking. None of my friends know about it.

It might be all over TV and radio but I've seen nothing on the likes of Instagram or TikTok.

Not as many and not as extreme but yes we have always had them

Its definitely on instagram, both organic and with spend behind it. I've seen a lot of ads there.

Wouldnt have a clue about tiktok.

They haven't even had the cop on to put information signs up at the machines that are being installed but not in use yet - so people know what's coming.

I've seen about half a dozen and only one of them has any sort of information on it.

Who is meant to pay for the advertising in that case?

Maybe ReTurn don't really want to draw attention to the deposits and want to keep them instead of cans and bottles? who knows.

either way its a win-win for them.

i was thinking that and mentioned it earlier, but was called a liar told i was making stuff up when mentioning the whole "non-profit" business side of the scheme. regarding advertising