{"id":9586,"date":"2025-06-23T08:00:31","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T05:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/drs-linked-to-major-drop-in-beach-litter\/"},"modified":"2025-06-25T11:27:43","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T08:27:43","slug":"drs-linked-to-major-drop-in-beach-litter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/drs-linked-to-major-drop-in-beach-litter\/","title":{"rendered":"Countries with DRS Linked to Major Drop in Beach Litter"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A global review of waste and pollution data has revealed that countries with deposit return schemes (DRS) see significantly less drinks container litter on their beaches. According to circular economy organization Reloop, nations that have adopted these systems report, on average, a 54% reduction in beverage container waste in coastal areas.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/drs-linked-to-major-drop-in-beach-litter\/#Drastic_Cut_in_Plastic_Bottle_Pollution\" >Drastic Cut in Plastic Bottle Pollution<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/drs-linked-to-major-drop-in-beach-litter\/#Strategic_Timing_Ahead_of_UN_Conference\" >Strategic Timing Ahead of UN Conference<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/drs-linked-to-major-drop-in-beach-litter\/#Evidence_Across_Materials_and_Regions\" >Evidence Across Materials and Regions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/drs-linked-to-major-drop-in-beach-litter\/#Irelands_Early_Success_Story\" >Ireland\u2019s Early Success Story<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/drs-linked-to-major-drop-in-beach-litter\/#European_Contrast\" >European Contrast<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/drs-linked-to-major-drop-in-beach-litter\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Drastic_Cut_in_Plastic_Bottle_Pollution\"><\/span><strong>Drastic Cut in Plastic Bottle Pollution<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Reloop\u2019s report, titled <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reloopplatform.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Littered-with-Evidence_Report.pdf?\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><em>Littered with Evidence<\/em><\/a>, compiled data from over 80 countries. One of the most striking findings;<strong> plastic drink bottle litter<\/strong> <strong>is 63 % lower in countries that operate a DRS compared to those that don\u2019t<\/strong>. The data was largely sourced from the International Coastal Cleanup events in 2021 and 2024, organized by Ocean Conservancy.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Strategic_Timing_Ahead_of_UN_Conference\"><\/span><strong>Strategic Timing Ahead of UN Conference<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The release of the report comes just before the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, highlighting the urgency of addressing marine pollution. In the UK, preparations are underway for a national <a href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/uk-drs-to-launch-in-2027\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DRS to roll out in <strong>October 2027<\/strong><\/a>. The organization managing this rollout <a href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/uk-dmo-to-run-new-deposit-return-scheme\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">has already been appointed<\/a>, indicating serious commitment at the national level.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Evidence_Across_Materials_and_Regions\"><\/span><strong>Evidence Across Materials and Regions<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Beyond plastic, countries with DRS also showed significant decreases in other types of beverage containers. <strong>Cans and glass bottles were found 40 % and 41 % less frequently<\/strong>, respectively, in coastal litter. Reloop analyzed trends before and after implementation in various regions, including Western Australia, Oregon in the US, and Estonia. These areas recorded<strong> reductions of more than 80 % in the littering of containers<\/strong> covered by the schemes.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-9581\" src=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/litter-and-plastic-bottles-on-beach-Countries-with-DRS-Linked-to-Major-Drop-in-Beach-Litter-1024x636.jpg\" alt=\" litter and plastic bottles on beach - Countries with DRS Linked to Major Drop in Beach Litter\" width=\"1024\" height=\"636\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/litter-and-plastic-bottles-on-beach-Countries-with-DRS-Linked-to-Major-Drop-in-Beach-Litter-1024x636.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/litter-and-plastic-bottles-on-beach-Countries-with-DRS-Linked-to-Major-Drop-in-Beach-Litter-300x186.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/litter-and-plastic-bottles-on-beach-Countries-with-DRS-Linked-to-Major-Drop-in-Beach-Litter-768x477.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/litter-and-plastic-bottles-on-beach-Countries-with-DRS-Linked-to-Major-Drop-in-Beach-Litter-1536x953.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/litter-and-plastic-bottles-on-beach-Countries-with-DRS-Linked-to-Major-Drop-in-Beach-Litter-2048x1271.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Irelands_Early_Success_Story\"><\/span><strong>Ireland\u2019s Early Success Story<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the Republic of Ireland, which <a href=\"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/challenges-and-motivations-of-the-irish-drs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">introduced its DRS in February 2024<\/a>, early data already indicates <strong>notable progress<\/strong>. By June of the same year, national surveys reported a <strong>30 % fall<\/strong> <strong>in can litter<\/strong> and a <strong>20 % fall in plastic bottle litter.<\/strong> An annual coastal survey by Coastwatch Ireland supported this trend, noting the lowest number of beverage containers found in over two decades.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"European_Contrast\"><\/span><strong>European Contrast<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The difference between European countries with and without a DRS is also <strong>clear<\/strong>. Reloop\u2019s data shows that <strong>plastic bottles make up just 0.5 % of total litter in countries with DRS programs<\/strong>, compared to 3.2 % in those without, with this sharp contrast further reinforcing the scheme&#8217;s effectiveness.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The data clearly shows that Deposit Return Schemes significantly reduce beverage container pollution, especially on coastlines. With nations preparing for global discussions on ocean conservation, Reloop\u2019s findings provide compelling evidence that DRS is a practical and proven tool to cut litter at the source. As more countries consider adopting or expanding these systems, the potential for cleaner beaches becomes an increasingly achievable goal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A global review of waste and pollution data has revealed that countries with deposit return schemes (DRS) see significantly less drinks container litter on their beaches. According to circular economy organization Reloop, nations that have adopted these systems report, on average, a 54% reduction in beverage container waste in coastal areas. &nbsp; Drastic Cut in&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":9582,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,544],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9586","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-en","category-drs-waste-en","category-28","category-544","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9586","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9586"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9586\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9594,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9586\/revisions\/9594"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9582"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9586"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9586"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.packlab.gr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9586"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}