I'm a regular visitor to Donegal, and am just back. I always buy my favourite drink there as it's difficult to find in NI. (Lucozade Zero Original). On arriving at the till point with my 12 x '6 packs', I had my €60 in hand to pay, but was quoted a total of €69! Explanation was that the Irish government has just introduced a compulsory 15c deposit on every bottle sold. I did what any right minded person would do, and abandoned my 'purchase' on the till belt. Being ripped off always leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

This is nothing more than a government backed scam. In theory, you can return to the shop and get your 'deposit' back, but that doesn't work for me not living in the country. It also doesn't work for millions of sales made for Irish citizens who on purchase, then put the bottle they have in their recycling bin at home. Unless they want to drive back to the shop (very green!). They are rolling out a mass installation of 'reverse' vending machines in shops where you can scan the barcode of  the empty bottle, then you are issued a voucher which you can cash in at the till point. However, even the governments own web site states that only bottles labelled with the new 're-turn' logo will have  acceptable return barcode. All shops (including my potential Lucozade purchase) have old stock with no RTS logo. Hence you are now forced to pay a compulsory tax with no way of getting it back.

Small shops can opt out of the 'returns' scheme as the vending machine is huge and the admin is horrendous. But all the large supermarkets are jumping on the virtue signalling green agenda.

It was interesting to note to that in Donegal town itself several small 'tourist' type shops that use to have a fridge to impulse sell drinks near their tills, now have removed them. So consumer choice is reduced, and so is their revenue.

I repeat, this is nothing more than a government backed scam, and has nothing to do with 'recycling' as all the infrastructure for recycling already exists.

It is worthy of note for us however in that in a years time, when the Irish government release their annual revenue from this new tax, I'm pretty sure the UK government (whatever flavour) will be looking to do the same...

 

 

Once the old stock has gone though, this scheme does work well in other countries. It’s not just the normal recycling but it gives value to what could otherwise be rubbish and litter. 

It can require a bit of mindset change I guess. Bit of a pain when you’re used to doing something a certain way. But for example I was in Norway where they do this scheme, with my Norwegian friends. Went to throw a bottle in a public rubbish bin and got a reaction like I’d just tried to summon the devil in front of a group of nuns. 
 

If it reduces the plastic waste left on verges, in hedges and on beaches by giving value to that waste then I’m all for it. 
 

EDIT:

Im quite happy for us not to inherit the dumb attached bottle caps though. Those things are awful and most people tear them off anyway!

36 minutes ago, alexp999 said:

Went to throw a bottle in a public rubbish bin and got a reaction like I’d just tried to summon the devil in front of a group of nuns. 
EDIT:

Im quite happy for us not to inherit the dumb attached bottle caps though. Those things are awful and most people tear them off anyway!

I can't remember the last time I threw a plastic bottle in 'the bin', at home plastic always goes into recycling, purely to ensure more space is available in my landfill bin for rubbish! Even when out, I always seek out a recycling bin, so I already have that mindset, I don't need a compulsory government tax to do so. 

The bottle attached lids are a hangover from an EU directive which despite us not being in the EU we have adopted anyway, bl**dy morons! LOL

I'd be much more enthralled if the government where to enforce a mandatory deposit on NHS issued walking frames/stick etc so that they don't simply get thrown away, and they won't even accept them back when asked!

Unfortunately a lot of people don’t think like you though Stephen. Governments have always had to base things on the dumbest members of society 

1 hour ago, alexp999 said:

. Governments have always had to base things on the dumbest members of society 

I suspect the prevailing opinion on here is that Governments are the dumbest members of society!😀

Our Nicola, who relied on the Greens to stay in power tried to do the same up here but luckily the Westminster government put a spanner in the works and it has been delayed twice already and may never happen. 

 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-64624421

 

28 minutes ago, Tizer said:

Our Nicola, who relied on the Greens to stay in power tried to do the same up here but luckily the Westminster government put a spanner in the works and it has been delayed twice already and may never happen. 

 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-64624421

 

That report states, "The aim is to incentivise recycling, reduce litter and help tackle climate change by reducing the amount of material going to landfill...."

I'm afraid those with the mentality of littering won't be dissuaded by a modest deposit scheme, and consequently, with recycling infrastructure pretty much everywhere, it won't reduce landfill either. As for helping 'climate change', I guess it might if everyone was to cycle their empty bottles back to the shop rather than drive 🤣 So, usual 'green lies' and a huge dose of virtue signalling.

Bet you're missing old Queen Nicola up there LOL

20 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

I guess it might if everyone was to cycle their empty bottles back to the shop rather than drive

Most people visit a supermarket once a week anyway.  They'll already be making the trip to get their next lot of shopping so it hasn't added to the carbon footprint.  Most of the supermarkets here have a few different recycling points which is far more convenient and eco friendly than having to make an extra journey to the dump.

It does seem odd to introduce it 20 years after we've had kerbside plastic recycling though.  Maybe ROI don't offer nationwide kerbside recycling?

 

I noticed this week my final brand of water bottles have now switched to the new ***** lids after having to change brands twice to avoid them.  The only reason I use bottled water is for convenience in certain situations.  (Use tap water for the rest of the time).  What annoys me with the lid change is that it's now made the product unusable, for me at least.  A product that was already recyclable and only being used where convenience was necessary.  Not the first product I've come across like this either.  I'm all for reducing plastic where possible, but not spoiling the function of the product for a hap'eth of plastic.  

5 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

 Maybe ROI don't offer nationwide kerbside recycling?

Not only do they offer that, but also home recycling too. Like I said, nothing more than an additional government imposed tax, and you know how much I abhor government imposing their darn nose in our affairs!

Oh, I am very petty, those 'attached lids' I simply detach them, and throw them seperately into landfill, well, you gotta protest somehow LOL

1 hour ago, StephenFord said:

That report states, "The aim is to incentivise recycling, reduce litter and help tackle climate change by reducing the amount of material going to landfill...."

I'm afraid those with the mentality of littering won't be dissuaded by a modest deposit scheme, and consequently, with recycling infrastructure pretty much everywhere, it won't reduce landfill either. As for helping 'climate change', I guess it might if everyone was to cycle their empty bottles back to the shop rather than drive 🤣 So, usual 'green lies' and a huge dose of virtue signalling.

Bet you're missing old Queen Nicola up there LOL

My thoughts as well. The greens are very good at inventing schemes for making themselves and like minded people lots of money. My own thoughts are that ones of the reasons that they do that is that that they would not survive making a living in the real world. 

As for Nicola, I voted against the Scottish Parliament all three times but unfortunately more people voted for it in the third one and we have ended up with a system that means it is almost impossible for any party to get an overall majority  so the minority people like the Greens end up running the show in coalition with a normal party. 

Well this thread is going well 🤣

If anyone has a spare 30 minutes to have a look a plastic recycling this YouTube video is light hearted while reveling some very interesting facts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izn7-FrlmhI&t=123s

 

2 hours ago, StephenFord said:

Not only do they offer that, but also home recycling

You can recycle your home ???

34 minutes ago, unofix said:

Well this thread is going well 🤣

If anyone has a spare 30 minutes to have a look a plastic recycling this YouTube video is light hearted while reveling some very interesting facts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izn7-FrlmhI&t=123s

 

Interesting video, worth the watch despite the 4 x enforced ad breaks that YouTube now insist on! Common sense always told me recycling was a massive con, but nice to see it articulated...

Just now, mjt said:

You can recycle your home ???

Of course you can - haven't you heard of ZoopLa?? 🤣

15 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

Interesting video, worth the watch despite the 4 x enforced ad breaks that YouTube now insist on! Common sense always told me recycling was a massive con, but nice to see it articulated...

Brave browser is your friend in this instance 😉