The packaging industry could face fines if it fails to keep its promise to collect enough empty bottles and cans within two years. This is reported by the Inspectorate for the Human Environment and Transport (ILT).
The regulator is pleased with an improvement plan that sees the industry promise 5,400 new collection points on top of the existing 4,100 positions. But to ensure that all promises are fulfilled, ILT implements so-called criminal intent.
In particular, this means that if 90 percent of all plastic deposit bottles are not collected by January 1, 2026, there is a risk of fines. ILT believes the Packaging Waste Fund Foundation has shown a “constructive will” to reach the legally required 90 per cent collection standard, but also describes it as “unacceptable” that the trade organization does not expect to achieve this target by the end of 2026.
Fascination
“This should also be an incentive for the actual implementation of the measures in the action plan,” the supervisory authority said. The ILT does not explain how high the penalty could be. However, the packaging industry will run a broad public campaign over the next three years to provide consumers with additional information on the return of returnable bottles and cans.
The regulator is responding with a fine to the Waste Fund’s second plan to increase the collection of plastic bottles after describing the first plan in mid-October as inadequate. The waste fund, which is responsible for collection on behalf of companies, has been criticized by ILT and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management because last year 68 per cent collected significantly fewer bottles than the legally required 90 per cent.
realism
In response, the Waste Fund said it would consider the proposed penalty. “Realism has its place,” says one answer. “It takes time to optimize and create a future-proof, customer-friendly deposit system.” The fund covers countries such as Norway and Denmark. “It took them more than eight years to reach a 90 percent collection rate.”
Heijnen, Minister of State for Infrastructure and Water Management, admits that a recovery “cannot be achieved 100 percent overnight”, but is disappointed that the statutory collection target will be reached in just a few years. This supports the ILT conclusion that “more speed is needed.”
Additional deposit machines
The new plan states that the current legal target of collecting 90 percent of plastic bottles sold will not be reached by the end of 2026. The waste fund wants to increase the number of collection points for this purpose.
For example, there must be at least 700 additional cash machines in supermarkets and 1,900 additional cash machines in schools, airports, train stations and amusement parks. The waste fund also wants to create 2,800 new places such as offices, kiosks, sports clubs, small supermarkets and petrol stations where you can get your money back from tellers instead of ATMs.
In many places, consumers often do not receive a refund of their deposits for empty bottles and cans, but the money is donated to a good cause.
The waste fund also announced that it would begin negotiations with producers of dairy products, fresh fruit juices and wine in PET bottles to switch to a voluntary deposit system. Previously these bottles were legally exempt as they were said to be harder to clean, but that argument now appears to be off the table. The fund does not want these producers to require deposits.
Source: NOS
Roy Brown is a renowned economist and author at The Nation View. He has a deep understanding of the global economy and its intricacies. He writes about a wide range of economic topics, including monetary policy, fiscal policy, international trade, and labor markets.
