Intended and unintended effects of statutory deposit return schemes for single-use plastic bottles: Lessons learned from the German experience

Abstract

Several EU countries discuss introducing deposit systems for single-use bottles to mitigate pollution. However, as an analysis of the German experiences indicates, the introduction of a deposit on single-use beverage containers might unintendedly compromise the endeavor to implement a circular economy. Such unintended effects need to be considered to enable the implementation of a circular economy that prioritizes reduction and reuse compared to recycling.High levels of environmental pollution and low recycling rates have triggered a debate on deposit return systems for single-use beverage containers (BCs) within the European Union. In 2003, Germany statutorily implemented a deposit for single-use BCs, which operates alongside a historically grown deposit system for multi-use bottles. The long-standing German practice can be used as a source of relevant experiences. These experiences show that the introduction of a single-use deposit is a double-edged sword: on the one hand, it caused an increase in return and recycling rates of single-use BCs. On the other hand, there were unintended effects on the long-standing multi-use system and, thus, on the endeavor to implement a circular economy where reduction and reuse are prioritized rather than recycling. It seems that the introduction of a single-use deposit system promotes a narrow mode of thinking and a focus on recycling, which hinders the revitalization of multi-use BC systems. The EU’s debate on single-use deposit lacks critical consideration of such unintended effects. The discussion of the German experiences might help to avoid unintended effects that hinder the establishment of a circular economy.

Current state and research directions for disposable versus reusable packaging: A systematic literature review of comparative studies

“…Rhein and Sträter 27 present experiences from using single‐ and multi‐use deposit systems and discuss what lessons can be used by others. Šuškevičé and Kruopiené 28 assess the environmental benefits of cup reuse models in open summer festivals on material circularity and the avoidance of disposable plastic.…”

Economic effects of introducing a deposit-return system for packaging in Poland

“…• an analysis of the effects of a deposit system implemented in Germany indicated that the return rate of single-use PET bottles has increased to around 96% in 2018 (Rhein & Sträter, 2021), • OECD reports:…”

Economic–Environmental Performance of Reverse Logistics of Disposable Beverage Packaging

“…Additional case of implementing DRS systems is described in the work of Linderhof [14], who simulated the impacts of DRS implementation on the recycling rate of small electronic appliances and batteries, stating that the DRS is especially effective in cases where current recycling rates are relatively low. Rhein [15] discussed the effects of DRS systems on the overall adverse effectiveness of the circular economy in Germany, stating the increased level of recycling means reduction and reuse on the product level. A case study and economic analysis was performed by [16] on the conditions of the first DRS implementation in Croatia, calculating the overall system costs and identifying the main economic drivers.…”