Denmark: deposit on single-use plastic bottles

[Denamrk] Domestic Political News
5 May 2006
Deposit on single-use bottles

Single-use bottles are to join reusable bottles and cans on refund-system

The Danish parliament debated a bill on Thursday from the opposition that would introduce a refund system on single-use water bottles. The government, retailers, the plastic industry and the Danish brewers association support the idea, reported public service broadcaster DR.

The refund would extend the Danish bottle bill to single-use plastic drink bottles.

The existing refund system includes reusable soft-drink and other bottles. Aluminium cans were introduced to the refund system in 2002.

'Refunds on single-use bottles can be implemented with aid from [return system operator] Danskretur System A/S, and that is what the government is working on', Eyvind Vesselbo the environment spokesperson for the PM's Liberal party told daily newspaper Jyllands-Posten.

'A large proportion of the packaging litter out there is from single-use bottles. That is why the minister of the environment is working on a strategy for how to use the existing refund and exchange system for single-use bottles,' explained Vesslebo.

The Copenhagen Post