Netherlands expands DRS to include steel and aluminium beverage cans

The Netherlands is keen on expanding its deposit return scheme to include steel and aluminium beverage cans from April 1. As per the new guidelines, the recycling drive will accept any metal beverage container with a capacity of three litres and a deposit rate of €0.15.

Supermarkets with an integrated area of 200m² and staffed petrol stations would host these collection points, usually situated near the highway, for uninterrupted logistical services.

Other than that, multiplexes or sports grounds can also register for this recycling and collection drive. They can log in via Statiegeld Nederland to install these collection points at specific public locations.

Rene Hissink, the senior vice-president of TOMRA Collection Western and Southern Europe, explained: “The expansion of the Netherlands’ deposit return system to aluminium cans means a new type of material will enter the loop and be able to be returned to the circular economy using appropriate recycling processes. As a result, the Dutch circular economy, as a whole, will see a boost.”

The Netherlands has been utilising a deposit return scheme for recycling beverage packaging solutions since 2006, and it can be regarded as one of the best collection modules globally. The deposit return system, in the beginning, accepted only plastic bottles with a deposit amount of $0.55, which has ascended to €0.25, the present rate.

If we look at a report posted on the TOMRA website, we find that the number of metal cans in the environment soared by 27 per cent in 2020, and this can be considered the primary reason why the Netherlands decided to expand its DRS to include steel, tin or aluminium cans.

The industrial machine manufacturer also exclaimed that a deposit is usually created for acceptable beverage containers, and the recyclers are entitled to have a full refund on returning end-of-life cans.

An equal move for sustainability was adopted by the Dutch Government in July 2022 when they expanded their internal DRS to include small plastic bottles.