New deposit system: 80% of the bottles should come back!

New deposit system: 80% of the bottles should come back!

Austria has introduced a new deposit system for disposable packaging, which has been in effect since the beginning of the year. From now on the deposit for a plastic bottle or an aluminum can is 25 cents. However, this deposit can only be seen on bottles and cans that are marked with the new deposit symbol. So far, there is still a lot of stock from last year in circulation, which means that the new models are still in the minority on supermarket shelves ORF.at reported. An estimated 140,000 deposit bottles and cans were returned in Upper Austria. In total, more than a million have already been returned throughout Austria, while the entire year is classified as a transition year. The goal is for around 80 percent of returns to be successfully processed by the end of the year.

Efficient return processes ensure order

The sales outlets that sell disposable packaging marked with the deposit logo are legally obliged to take them back. Several stores can set up a common collection point, especially in highly frequented locations such as shopping centers, train stations and airports. However, this location must be in the immediate vicinity of the points of sale. Returns can be made either manually or via reverse vending machines. When taking back manually, sales outlets may only accept beverage packaging in the usual sales sizes, which is the case, for example, in bakeries oesterreich.gv.at explained in detail.

Next year it is expected that the system will be fully operational and plans to take back more than two billion bottles and cans. This comprehensive take-back system is intended not only to help clean the environment, but also to raise awareness among the population about recycling and reusing materials.