29 June 2016 – Since being introduced to the market, single-use beverage containers have caused much debate – both in the beverage industry and among politicians and the public. A simple question sits at the center of the arguing: What’s the most efficient way to collect beverage containers for high-quality recycling? Though there are many who continue to argue that these containers should be recovered as part of existing curbside programs, the last year has seen unprecedented interest in deposit initiatives, with several European countries moving forward with these systems as a complement to their existing collection models.
In this month’s column, Clarissa explores some of the catalysts behind this renewed interest and profiles some countries which have recently joined the deposit trend. The article ends with a discussion of some of the impacts this trend will have on municipalities.
