Greece Approves Deposit Return System for Plastic Bottles and Cans

Greece has licensed DRS Hellas to run a national deposit return system for plastic bottles and aluminium drink cans, adding a refundable 10 or 15 cents to each container.

The Hellenic Recycling Agency (EOAN) approved the licence on Monday 9 November, DRS Hellas said on Wednesday.

Under the deposit return system, shoppers will pay a small extra amount on single-use drink containers of up to three litres. They will then get the full amount back when they return the empty container.

The deposit will be 10 cents for containers of up to 0.5 litres. Larger containers, up to three litres, will carry 15 cents, so a six-pack of 1.5-litre water bottles will cost an extra 90 cents.

Read more: Greece Wastes More Than 2 Million Tonnes of Food Every Year

How the deposit return system works

Shoppers will receive a return receipt for each container and can redeem it against purchases, DRS Hellas said. However, the company did not set a date for the deposit return system to start.

When fully developed in 2027, the network will include 8,700 return points. These will sit in supermarkets, selected shops, public spaces and tourist areas, using reverse vending machines or manual collection.

DRS Hellas said 65 per cent of the infrastructure will be in place at launch. It also aims to collect at least 90 per cent of covered containers separately from 2029.

A similar deposit return system already operates in 19 European countries, the company said. In particular, the Greek network takes into account the country’s islands, seasonal demand and tourism.

Glass bottles, paper cartons such as Tetra Pak and drinks without the DRS label stay outside the scheme. The scheme also leaves out wine, spirits, milk and dairy products, the operator said.

Licence and next steps

The 2029 target follows the European Union’s packaging and packaging waste regulation. Because of that law, member states must collect 90 per cent of single-use plastic bottles and metal drink cans separately from 2029.

In addition, the operator will collect plastic and aluminium separately so they can become raw material for new packaging. Beverage producers and retailers also take part, and an information campaign will explain the deposit return system to the public.

DRS Hellas board chair Maria Anargyrou-Nikolits said the licence marks the move from planning to delivery. She added that the scheme must stay transparent, keep costs reasonable and remain easy to use.

Similarly, general manager Michalis Panagiotakis said the company had submitted a full business plan and run tenders under international standards. Work on infrastructure and services can now begin nationwide, he said.

The company said it does not distribute profits and reinvests its funds in the network, digital systems, collection and sorting. Previously, Greek City Times reported on a Chania scheme that rewards residents for used frying oil.

Source: AMNA

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