In this new report, Reloop investigates the climate and waste prevention impacts of recovering and recirculating—through closed-loop recycling —the vast majority of single-use drinks containers sold in the EU. And the results of our analysis are compelling: reaching a 90% separate collection for recycling rate for all drinks packaging (aluminium, plastic and glass), which can be achieved by implementing deposit return systems across all 27 EU Member States, offers multiple benefits across the board.

The overall net impact is a reduction of virgin material demand across the EU, which, in turn, results in a significant reduction in carbon emissions. And due to the power of circularity, these impacts will only grow with time.

Together, the solutions identified in our proposal can help the European Union achieve its goals of becoming climate-neutral by 2050, reducing waste and keeping Europe’s resources circulating in Europe. Reloop believes the European Union has a huge opportunity to make real progress towards a circular economy. Let’s not waste it.