Deposit Return Scheme for Wales

We have been undertaking widespread engagement on the development of our scheme and working closely with industry and the other governments to ensure the schemes within the UK will be interoperable.  As a part of this work industry have highlighted the risk of unintended consequences as a result of the difference in scope between the schemes within the UK. 

This situation is not of the Welsh Government’s making and comes about a result of the previous UK Government diverging from an approach that worked for the whole of the UK. However, we are committed to working in partnership to avoid those unintended consequences whilst ensuring that a DRS will still deliver clear benefits for Wales. 

By accelerating our implementation timeline to align with the other schemes being brought in across the UK, it ensures the interoperability for the common materials covered by all schemes.

Yes. Glass remains in scope for the Welsh DRS. 

This is essential for tackling litter, improving on-the-go recycling and supporting the roll-out of reuse which is a key part of our DRS. 

Including glass allows Wales to continue to make progress and build on our world class recycling and address the growing issue of glass litter.

While Wales has remained consistent with the previously agreed approach, we recognise that the landscape has changed following the previous UK Government’s decision to diverge from it. 

For those materials within our scheme in Wales, but not yet in the other schemes within the UK, we will take a phased approach which avoids unintended consequences to supply chains or creating additional fraud risks. By phasing in the requirements, it will avoid those risks while ensuring the scheme will still deliver benefit to Wales.

It will enable the phased roll out of reuse, supported by clear transitional arrangements to minimise disruption.

For reuseable drinks containers, industry have proposed that a large-scale reuse trial be undertaken which will build on the DRS trials that we have already undertaken in Wales and from which we will then move to the Wales wide roll-out of reuse. 

For single-use glass, this includes a transitional period during which glass will be collected from day one of the scheme in Wales, but without deposit being applied initially. This arrangement allows a grace period which avoids the need for immediate changes to labelling, production, or distribution systems, helping to ensure a smooth transition for all participants.

Wales is already second in the world for recycling and in line with our Circular Economy strategy, Beyond Recycling, we have already commenced the roll out of reuse. For drinks containers, reuse is not just an ambition for Wales, but critical if the DRS is to drive further progress against our already world class recycling rates. It is also essential in ensuring Wales can take advantage of the economic benefits of DRS.

By designing our DRS for reuse from the outset, it will not only ensure that a DRS will be effective in Wales, but it will also reduce material costs and improve resilience for producers and provide a clear pathway to net zero for the sector. 

Including reuse also aligns with global best practice where other countries are already reaping the benefits of DRS systems that incorporate reuse. With our fellow nations within the UK also committed to moving to reuse, Wales innovating in the same way we did for plastic bags will also help inform the roll-out UK-wide.

The purpose of the trial is so that industry can test how best to incorporate reuse within their systems and draw from the successful approaches that have already been delivered internationally. 

We are working closely with Welsh SMEs to ensure the scheme is simple, scalable, and fair. This includes for example sensible arrangements for exemptions for low-volume products. 

Our goal is to ensure that all businesses, regardless of size, can not only participate in but crucially benefit from the opportunities the scheme presents such as reduced material costs.

We have engaged with stakeholders to design a DRS which will deliver benefits to our economy and our communities as well as our environment. 

By tackling litter, ensuring materials are captured to go back into the economy and avoiding any waste, the scheme directly delivers benefits across the goals within the Well-being of Future Generations Act. 

By designing for reuse and ensuring the scheme can work with the advances in digital technology, we are also future proofing the scheme and ensuring it will deliver clear benefits in the short and long term, for current and future generations.

Independent analysis suggests that moving to a circular economy could unlock £3.8 billion in savings for the Welsh economy. 

DRS is an important action, alongside the others in our circular economy strategy, to create green jobs, grow the green economy and drive innovation whilst building resilience in key sectors and supply chains, including the drinks and packaging industries.

Not only will DRS add a network of recycling points, thereby helping to further increase the quantity of high quality recycled material that goes back into our economy, but the incorporation of reuse will support businesses and consumers to benefit from the use of reuseable bottles.  With international schemes seeing bottles circulating 8 times or more, this means that producers can benefit from a reduction in the materials needed whilst also delivering reduced emissions representing a real win-win. 

We have continued to work with colleagues in the UK, Scottish, and Northern Ireland Governments, as well as now engaging with the appointed Deposit Management Organisation for their schemes to ensure there are clear arrangements in place for the introduction of the schemes. 

In doing so our aim is to ensure that the Welsh scheme is interoperable, while reflecting the need to deliver tangible benefits for Wales.

Absolutely. We welcome continued collaboration with all UK nations and industry partners. Our shared goal is to deliver a coherent, effective, and future-proofed DRS that works for all parts of the UK and we believe Wales’s leadership on reuse can help shape that shared future.