ADEPT calls for pause and review of Deposit Return Scheme
The Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT) is calling on the government to pause the rollout of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers and carry out a full review of the cost impact on local authorities.
ADEPT supports the concerns recently raised by the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC) and independent materials recovery facility operators. The association is calling for a new impact assessment based on up-to-date evidence; funding to cover local authorities lost income and extra costs; a formal role for local authorities in monitoring the scheme once it's running; and an assessment of how the DRS will work alongside packaging Extended Producer Responsibility and Simpler Recycling.
Wendy Barratt, Chair of ADEPT's Waste Working Group, said: “Local authorities already have well-established kerbside collections and sorting facilities that capture drinks containers effectively. The cost of rolling out DRS is high and would largely duplicate a system that is already in place. Taxpayers risk paying twice: once through deposits, some of which will never be redeemed, and again for the systems that local authorities have put in place to collect and sort these items.
"These are not short-term investments that can simply be written off. Many form part of long-term contracts with change in law clauses, meaning local authorities may incur costs to compensate contractors for lost income and increased operating costs, as facilities handle less material and run less efficiently. This is in addition to the loss of income that local authorities will experience as a result of diversion of drinks containers into the DRS, which will amount to hundreds of thousands of pounds each year. At the same time, households would face higher upfront costs when many are already under financial pressure.
"The government has recently shown it is willing to pause and rethink major waste reforms. We urge it to do the same with DRS, and to fully assess the financial impacts on local authorities before the scheme goes any further."
