G/TBT/N/GBR/85  
25 April 2024  
(24-3392) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED KINGDOM  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
Department of Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if diffe rent from above:   
UK TBT Enquiry Point  
Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations  
Department for Business and Trade  
Old Admiralty Building  
London  
SW1A 2DY  
tbtenquiriesuk@businessandtrade.gov.uk  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  
7310211900 (cans for drinks) and 392330 (plastic drinks bottles)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  The Deposit 
Scheme for Drinks Containers (England and Northern Ireland) Regulations 2024; (103 
page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  This legislation will set out to establish a Deposit Return Scheme 
(DRS) f or drinks containers where consumers are charged a deposit up -front when they 
buy a drink in a container that is in -scope of the scheme. The deposit can then be 
redeemed when the empty container is returned to a designated return point. The deposit 
provide s a financial incentive for consumers to return drinks containers for recycling.  
Our Statutory instrument (SI) covers England and Northern Ireland and will include all 
single -use drinks containers from 150ml up to 3 litres in polyethylene terephthalate (P ET) 
bottles, steel and aluminium cans. The key sections of our SI are:  
• The scope and key definitions associated with a DRS  
• Obligations for producers and suppliers  
• Obligations for retailers and return points  
• Obligations and responsibilities of the Deposit M anagement Organisation  
• Scheme enforcement and penalties  G/TBT/N/GBR/85  
 
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  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  The main objective of the DRS is the protection of the environment through 
creating a circular economy, and quality requirements of recyclable materials.  
Current recycling rates in the UK for drinks containers are around 70%. The objective of 
this policy is to boost recycling rates of in -scope containers, reduce littering, and provide 
greater opportunity to coll ect high quality, uncontaminated materials in greater 
quantities. This DRS aims to achieve recycling rates of 90% or higher.  
The Government consulted on introducing a DRS for drinks containers in 2019 which 
received over 200,000 responses, the vast majorit y of which supported the introduction 
of a DRS.; Protection of the environment  
8. Relevant documents:   
ENV/143 The Deposit Scheme for Drinks Containers (England and Northern Ireland) 
Regulations 2024  
Introducing a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers in England, Wales and 
Northern Ireland - government response (publishing.service.gov.uk).  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  16 September 2024  
Proposed date of entry into force:  October 2027  
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from notification  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
UK TBT Enquiry Point  
Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations  
Department for Business and Trade  
Old Admira lty Building  
London  
SW1A 2DY  
tbtenquiriesuk@businessandtrade.gov.uk  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2024/TBT/GBR/24_02786_00_e.pdf