UK DMO to deliver Deposit Return Schemes

UK Deposit Management Organisation (UK DMO) has been revealed as the operator of the new Deposit Return Schemes (DRS) for single-use plastic and metal drinks containers in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. The appointment has been made by the UK government and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. North of the border, Scottish Ministers have also decided that the organisation should be designated as the DRS scheme administrator.

UK DMO is a business-led, not-for-profit body created to deliver a programme that aims to cut litter, boost recycling and reduce carbon emissions. According to a report from The Countryside Charity, introducing DRS is expected to create up to 4,000 jobs across the UK, and will bring significant investment in the infrastructure required to deliver the scheme, including storage, logistics and reprocessing.

The organisation has been tasked by the three governments with delivering a DRS to go live in October 2027. From that date, when people buy drinks containers made from PET plastic, steel and aluminium between 150ml and 3 litres, they will pay a small deposit, which they will get back in full when they return the empty container for recycling. Every year, some 6.5 billion drinks containers are discarded across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, contributing 43% of all litter.

‘Scale of the challenge’
A spokesperson for the UK DMO board said: “We don’t underestimate the scale of the challenge, but our aim is simple: to build a system that’s fair, efficient and easy to use. Our work is already underway, and we’ll be working closely with governments, businesses of all sizes, environmental groups and consumer bodies to move forward as quickly as possible.”

UK DMO will now begin engaging with partners – including the three governments, businesses and environmental groups – to design and operate a scheme that works for everyone. Producers, retailers and other interested parties are encouraged to visit ukdmo.co.uk for more information.

You may also be interested in…