PRESS RELEASE: LARAC Responds to UK Government's Announced Delay to Deposit Return Scheme Implementation
Following Robbie Moore's announcement on 25 April regarding a revised timeline for launching a nationwide Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) by October 2027, LARAC offers its perspective on the delay.
Despite weeks of speculation in the media, the confirmation of a delay to the DRS implementation comes after previous denials from Defra officials regarding the feasibility of meeting the initial target date of 2025.
The revised timeline, agreed upon by the UK government, the Welsh Government, the Scottish Government, and DAERA, outlines a phased approach:
- Phase 1: Regulation and Deposit Management Organisation (DMO) appointment by Spring 2025.
- Phase 2: DMO set-up from Spring 2025 to Spring 2026, involving securing funding, appointing key personnel, and finalising operational details.
- Phase 3: Rollout from Spring 2026 to Autumn 2027, focusing on infrastructure establishment, retailer and producer preparations, consumer engagement, and readiness testing.
Cathy Cook, Chair of LARAC, emphasised LARACs long-standing position regarding the DRS implementation sequence.
"Our stance has always been that a DRS needs to be deferred while other policies are given room to be designed, implemented, and produce results. Only then will we know if a DRS is right for the UK," said Cook.
LARAC's proposed approach not only ensures comprehensive evaluation but allows further time for significant advancements in digital technologies. LARAC believes that by integrating a DRS scheme with existing kerbside collections, operational efficiencies can be maximised, reducing the need for an extensive network of expensive reverse vending machines.
Cook expressed concern about the shifting timeline occurring amidst continued delays to key policies for the recycling sector.
"We are concerned the announcement on DRS is an additional example of continued delays to key policies for our sector. We are moving further away from all implementation dates and this leads to continued uncertainty and lack of clarity for local authorities and all other stakeholders in the value chain," she added.
LARAC also has concerns over what this delay will mean for payments to local authorities for the management of DRS materials within their collections, as it has been previously stated that these won’t be included under the packaging EPR scheme which is due to start in 2025. This results in a two-year period from the commencement of the EPR scheme to the commencement of DRS where Local Authorities will be managing DRS materials without any producer payments.
LARAC remains committed to working with its members and relevant stakeholders to lobby on this and other issues to ensure effective and sustainable waste management practices across the UK.
For media inquiries, please contact Toni McNamara, LARAC Policy and Communications Lead - admin@larac.org.uk
Twitter/X @LARACSpeaks
