Once again, the long-awaited deposit return scheme, earmarked to transform the UK’s recycling fortunes, is having its integrity questioned. The effectiveness of this potentially game-changing policy relies on the government paving the way for Digital Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) technologies, which eliminate virtually every issue identified, not only by the Scottish Parliament’s cross-party group, but other senior Scottish politicians such as Maurice Golden MSP.
Digital DRS mitigates against cross-border fraud by identifying where a deposit has already been paid through the use of serialised tags on packaging. It would be cheaper to implement and, crucially, it can be integrated into the existing UK kerbside collection infrastructure. By scanning in-scope containers and receiving deposits from home, through an intuitive smartphone app, it is convenient, enables consumers to continue their recycling habits and eliminates the huge carbon footprint of consumers making individual trips to collection points, and through manufacturing, installing and emptying reverse vending machines.