19 July 2016 – Refillable beverage containers have an important role to play in the circular economy. Aside from the environmental benefits, refillable systems offer tremendous economic benefits in terms of material cost savings and job creation, which are multiplied with each refill.
Despite these benefits, the market share of beverages in refillable packaging has declined rapidly in jurisdictions around the world as single-use containers made from glass, plastic, metal and multi-laminate materials take their place. The few countries that continue to show a relatively high market share for refillables have actively implemented policy instruments to preserve the refillable infrastructure.
This fact sheet, released by Reloop, examines three policy mechanisms that, when used in tandem, can help reverse the decline of refillable bottles: (1) mandatory container deposits; (2) green levies or advance disposal fees; and (3) reuse targets.
