Over 900m plastic bottles and cans returned since launch of Deposit Return Scheme

Ellen O'Donoghue

Over 900 million plastic bottles and cans have been returned since the launce of the Deposit Return Scheme last year.

In December, over 5 million plastic bottle and can returns were recorded on numerous occasions.

The Re-turn network of deposit return points has also increased by more than 800 since its launch, with over 2,600 reverse vending machines.

There are also over 470 manual return points nationwide.

The increase in the number of reverse vending machines included the installation of four at Cork Airport in November 2024, two of which return deposits to passengers, and two of which accept bottle and can deposits on behalf of Return for Children, a charity fundraising initiative supported by Re-turn.

The chief executive of Re-turn, Ciaran Foley, said that the achievement of almost one billion plastic bottles and cans returned is “testament to the growing support of the Irish people.

“The early impact is undeniable – recent research from IBAL shows almost a 50% reduction in plastic bottle and can litter on Irish streets already,” Mr Foley said.

“Additionally, over 2,000 local initiatives have been launched to raise funds for clubs and charities, making a tangible and positive difference in communities nationwide.”