Deposit return scheme (recycling) - Part 2

I only ever said that I had used similar schemes in other countries.

I used them as a visitor so would not be familiar with all their details.

If you want a suggestion as a reply to your second question I expect that the retailers prefer not to do manual returns but that's only a hunch.

Not just you. Dozens of other people said we copied the same system as in other countries.

Which it turns out is bollox.

Correct. In Denmark, they don't have a choice on whether to accept returns or not.

Their choice is to maintain their machine so that it works or accept manual returns when their machine isn't working.

As a consequence their machines work and there is none of this "try your luck tomorrow" scheme that we have.

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Maybe you should wait for reliable statistics before suggesting that 70% of plastic bottles collected by Re-turn are incinerated.

Just an idea.

I assume its an optics thing for the public or to placate the supermarkets. Because gone off beer, gone off coke do not smell strongly. If they accepted milk containers, the scheme would be 2 weeks old when every DRS machine in the country would stink of gone off milk. Currently a quick hose down once a week is enough to keep them smelling fine. With milk, they would need regular, if not daily thorough hosing down to keep the smell of rotten milk at bay.

I think that if I was running a supermarket I'd much prefer a machine in the lobby or wherever than have to pay a staff member to do returns for every hour in the week my shop is open.

Wages, cover for breaks and lunch, cover for holidays, cover for sick days. It all adds up.

If real supermarket owners think the same then taking into account the major input by the industry to Re-turn then we may have our answer.

Considering milk is a large staple in many households especially children, I would reckon there would be a huge uproar with a price increase (ok you get the deposit back eventually)! Optics would be very poor. And, the recycling value would be low.

Not sure the optics of recycling would be viewed as poor, but I agree the price increase would be hard to swallow. Bad pun, I know :)

And the ordinary punters who were putting the items in the green bin and not being hit in their pockets for it, would much rather keep doing that.

So the answer is another nail in the coffin of the lie that we coped the same scheme as elsewhere. We didn't.

Supermarkets in other countries can do it, so why not here. Irish supermarkets and retailers can do it, it is done elsewhere. They were let not do it.

The government shoved the hassle onto the ordinary punter, who it needs to return the items to meet the targets it claims to be concerned about reaching.

And if the scheme doesn't reach its targets, it will be cave ins to vested interest like this that should be looked at not the expected drivel about 'Paddy'.

Nope again with you missing the point.

The point of mentioning the green bin was that the government were fine shoving inconvenience and extra costs onto the ordinary punter.

But cant do that to the retailers.

What are our chances of getting to 90 percent without elements of the system that buttress the scheme in other countries?

Is it important to get to 90% or not?

Can piss off the ordinary punter but cant ruffle the feathers of the vested interests.

It would appeal to the vast majority of people especially when they bring the items to the store and RVM out of order.

It would appeal to the vast majority of punters if it was combined with a reduction in exemption size, meant more options were available to return.

You know like is done in other countries who have to meet the sane targets we do.

It shouldnt come down to hope. Retailers shouldnt be getting a pass on dodging their responsibilities. Responsibilities other countries deem important for them to meet those same targets.

This "we have to do this to avoid EU fines" tripe is really sad.

Nope. They are not completely different things. It is all part of the picture of the government and Return being ok to lump inconvenience and cost onto the consumer but backing off on retailers.

You've gone from:

Everyone should hope we reach out target so we will avoid EU fines.

To:

Maybe there is some chance of changing the terms of the scheme but I wouldn't hold out too much hope.

Hopium.

Is it important to meet our targets or not?

If we are not meeting the targets do you agree those things the "industry won out" on should be looked at?

The lack of manual returns and large exemption size are noticeable points on which we stand out from other EU countries... who are also trying to reach the same targets we are.

It gets really really sad when they have to be paid.