Blog - Reloop Platform

Joint NGO-industry letter to MEPs on the EU Textiles Strategy and closed-loop recycling

Reloop is pleased to be one of the co-signers of a joint NGO-industry letter that calls on members of the European Parliament to refrain from supporting amendments that would water down the clear message against breaking the loop of PET bottles. The letter, signed by UNESDA, Natural Mineral Waters Europe, the European Fruit Juice Association…

Social-economic benefits of DRS

Deposit return systems (DRS) have been implemented in over 50 jurisdictions worldwide to promote circular economy outcomes by reducing waste through the reuse and recycling of drinks containers. However, the benefits of DRS extend beyond the environmental impact. In fact, these systems have the potential to generate meaningful social-economic outcomes, including additional revenue streams for…

Register for our upcoming webinar on 23 March

Join us for the second webinar in Reloop’s Deep Dive into European DRS series, as we explore the deposit return systems (DRS) in Iceland and Finland. In each of these two countries, single-use plastic, metal, and glass beverage containers are covered by the system, and a single entity is responsible for system operation. We are…

Conference on Mixed Waste Sorting

Together with Zero Waste Europe and the European Committee of the Regions, Reloop is excited to announce that we will be hosting a conference, “Mixed Waste Sorting: The next frontier for the circular economy.” The conference will take place on March 21, 2023, in Brussels, Belgium, from 9 AM to 4 PM CET. Representatives from…

Reloop and ZWE release guidelines for legislating MWS in the context of the Renewable Energy Directive

This policy briefing by Reloop and Zero Waste Europe provides guidelines for legislating mixed waste sorting (MWS) in the context of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED). The guidelines were developed to clarify the amendment proposed by the European Parliament regarding the use of mixed wastes for ‘renewable energy’ purposes. The document recommends applying MWS systems…

Variable- and flat-rate deposits: What’s the difference?

When it comes to the design of a new #DepositReturnSystem (DRS) one of the key topics of debate is whether the system should adopt a flat-rate (sometimes called ‘fixed-rate) or variable deposit fee. In a flat-rate DRS, all drinks containers – regardless of beverage type, volume, or container material – are subject to the same…

New Reloop fact sheet summarises latest beverage container return rates

One of the main reasons for the growth of DRSs worldwide is their proven effectiveness at attaining high recycling rates; international experience consistently shows that drinks container recycling rates are significantly higher in jurisdictions with DRS than those without. In Europe, most countries with DRSs in place achieve recycling rates above 90%, diverting significant quantities…

Policy Brief on Mixed Waste Sorting

Our policy brief explains why taking a holistic approach to policies addressing packaging design for recyclability, separate collection systems—including deposit return for beverage containers—and further sorting of municipal mixed waste prior to thermal treatment or landfill, is necessary if the EU is to meet its recycling and carbon emissions reductions targets and achieve real circularity.…

New fact sheet on Digital DRS

As more jurisdictions consider introducing deposit legislation over the next few years, stakeholders are wondering whether a deposit return system (DRS) that employs a unique digital-coding approach (referred to commonly as ‘digital DRS’ or ‘DDRS’) should be considered instead of, or at least in addition to, a traditional scheme that uses reverse vending machines and…

Reloop analysis shows high level of public support for deposit return

As governments continue to consider deposit return systems (DRS) and implement legislation in their own jurisdictions, they will be happy to know that research shows that public support for these systems is high. New laws receive much public fervour, and most respondents to public opinion polls support expansion of existing deposit laws. This fact sheet…