Deposit Return Schemes (DRS) and packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) are two pieces of environmental legislation that are designed to reduce waste and increase recycling rates.
A DRS aims to incentivise consumers to return their used, single use beverage packaging by adding a small deposit fee to the price of the product, which is refunded upon the return of the beverage packaging for recycling either in-store or via a reverse vending machine.
pEPR, on the other hand, transfers the financial responsibility for the collection, treatment, and disposal of packaging waste from local authorities to producers, encouraging them to design more sustainable packaging.
Together, these policies aim to create a circular economy where materials are reused and recycled, reducing the environmental impact of waste.