Plastic Bottles Deposit Return in Europe : a comparison

Abstract

Plastic pollution poses a significant environmental threat to wildlife and marine ecosystems. To prevent this issue, European Union has introduced Deposit Return System (DRS) for plastic bottles, to incentivise recycling practices. While successful implementation of return system has been observed in countries like Finland and Denmark, challenges persist in nations like Portugal, France and even developed country like United Kingdom (UK) or Scotland. Therefore, this research explores the barriers hindering deposit scheme execution in European countries, using a thematic analysis approach, basically identifying themes of challenges, and coding the similarities and classifying in PESTLE framework, which gives readers a clear picture on the most common issues. The findings underscore the need for tailored approaches and enhanced cooperation at the EU level to effectively manage plastic waste. Failure to address these challenges could restrict the effectiveness of return scheme’s principles in reducing plastic pollution in Europe. Hence, it is crucial for industry stakeholders, policy makers and relevant parties to collaborate closely to improve the effectiveness of sustainable principles, achieve success in Europe in a pragmatic manner.