With the results of UK Government second consultation surrounding the introduction of a deposit return scheme (DRS) due imminently, Polytag CEO, Alice Rackley, hopes this will open a ‘digital pathway’ for brands to realise the potential benefits from using such a technology.
The advantages for using a Digital Deposit Return Scheme (DDRS) can be significant for brands, not only in data capture of information regarding recycling habits of consumers, allowing for more targeted consumer marketing, encouraging changes in behaviour patterns, and helping incentivise an increase in recycling rates and reduce both brand producer and consumers carbon emissions.
The results of two recent successful pilot project trials, one in the Wirral and the most recent in Conwy, reported rates amongst consumers of 91% and 97% respectively, demonstrating the results from packaging with serialised tags, linked to scanning of containers via a smartphone app, such as Polytag’s, with the aid of unique identification coding.
These figures highlight how local authorities, together with brands and regulators, can not only affect a change in consumer recycling rates, but also effectively enable them to ‘track and trace’ their packaging through the supply chain and consumer cycle.
In turn, consumers will be able to collect their deposits back on their packaging products via the app, which will return their deposits into a digital wallet on their smartphone, iPad or digital device.
This is much more convenient than the Reverse Vending Model (RVM), which relied upon consumers having to travel to outlets to return their recycling, whereas the digital technology removes the carbon intensive footprint and financial outlays.
This is significant, and worth highlighting, as Defra’s estimations put the figure at as much as $6bn over 11 years.
The implementation of DDRS could enable local authorities to achieve notable cost-savings for their logistics networks, as tagged packaging can be incorporated into and collected for recycling within the current kerbside collection infrastructure
The implementation of DDRS could enable local authorities to achieve notable cost-savings for their logistics networks, as tagged packaging can be incorporated into and collected for recycling within the current kerbside collection infrastructure, which can allow for any reductions in terms of costs to be better utilised for other recycling projects.
Additionally, data from the technology can be shared by respective local councils and authorities to not only monitor and record recycling rates, but hopefully to change current thinking and increase efforts throughout the UK to help tackle climate change.
This is important as the UK needs to work together as whole to deliver a clear and concise DRS strategy, rather than individually, as has been evident with the devolved Scottish Government’s proposed stance, which could be seen to be diversifying the opportunities that could be gained from a UK-wide common lateral viewpoint stance.
Based on the results from the recent trials, it is hoped that Scotland will choose to develop their model, which currently proposes the retailer to operate a return point, whilst other outlets such as shopping centres and transport hubs could apply to have a return point installation as part of its RVM proposals. Ideally, were Scotland to reevaluate its model to one that incorporates DDRS too, it would help not only encourage higher levels of drinks container recycling, but also accelerate the transition to net zero by 2050.
The delays on moving the legislation forward have also been hampered over the past couple of years with the impact of Covid, which has further derailed its progress towards a concise agreement for implementation.
Following the successful trial of DDRS in Conwy, and the significant results that were recorded when working with a number of partners within the region, it was clearly evident the tangible benefits that collaborative working groups can achieve when a shared vision is created, in terms of engagement rates at 97%, and participation rates amongst registered households who scanned at least four out of six bottles.
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