Alupro expresses profound opposition to Digital Deposit Return Schemes

Deposit Return Schemes have been the talk of the decade due to the controversies surrounding them. While a group vehemently advocated its implementation, another group wanted to see the end of it. Alupro has raised concerns about the proposal, stating that it fails to ensure lower contamination levels for recycling, neglects to demonstrate support for sustainability goals, and doesn't effectively address litter.

While Alupro acknowledges the potential benefits of a Deposit Return System (DRS), they argue that trials of the proposed system have not yet demonstrated such benefits at scale or shown that the requirements of a DRS can be met by the packaging value chain.

Alupro's objections to the concept of a DRS centre on the belief that it cannot be facilitated by the aluminium beverage packaging and supply chain and that it is not as effective as a conventional DRS in improving packaging sustainability and recycling rates. They note that printing unique codes on containers at high speeds is not currently feasible and would require costly technology and decreased factory throughput. The Executive Director of Alupro, Tom Giddings very minutely outlined the problems of an operational DRS system. 

"Our challenges to the concept revolve around two themes. Firstly, that a DDRS cannot be facilitated by the aluminium beverage packaging and supply chain and secondly that it is not as effective as a conventional DRS as a measure that improves packaging sustainability and recycling rates," Alupro notified.

Furthermore, Alupro argues that a DRS, including a Digital Deposit Return Scheme (DDRS), cannot guarantee improved quality of collected drink cans by reducing contamination, thereby reducing the cost and environmental benefits of recycling.