British Glass welcomes the Welsh Government’s announcement that Exchange for Change has been appointed as the Deposit Management Organisation (DMO) for the Welsh Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). The appointment is an important step forward in providing greater certainty for businesses preparing for the scheme’s introduction in October 2027.
However, British Glass remains concerned that significant questions remain unanswered regarding the inclusion of glass beverage containers within the Welsh scheme and, together with other organisations, will be seeking urgent clarification from the Minister, Llyr Gruffydd.
British Glass continues to believe that glass beverage containers should be removed from the Welsh DRS to ensure alignment with schemes operating across the rest of the UK.
A consistent UK-wide approach would reduce complexity for producers, retailers and consumers, while avoiding unnecessary costs and operational challenges associated with managing different systems in different nations.
The glass sector has long argued that glass is already highly recycled through established kerbside collection systems. In Wales, more than 92% of household glass packaging is collected through kerbside schemes.
These views were expressed by British Glass and businesses operating in Wales at a roundtable event with the Minister in June. While the Minister promised to “reflect” on what he heard, it appears that the Welsh Government is pressing ahead with the inclusion of glass while leaving key issues unresolved.
Dr Nick Kirk, Executive Director of British Glass, said, “We are pleased that the Welsh Government has appointed a Deposit Management Organisation and that progress is being made towards implementation of Deposit Return Schemes across the UK.
“However, many important questions remain unanswered. In particular, if no deposit is placed on glass, what will be the incentive for consumers to recycle glass through a DRS collection point away from the home when Welsh citizens already benefit from an excellent kerbside glass collection system? British Glass, Welsh businesses and businesses supplying the Welsh market believe that glass should be removed from the Welsh DRS to support alignment with the rest of the UK and help deliver an effective scheme.
“We look forward to working constructively with the Welsh Government and Exchange for Change to address these ongoing issues and ensure that the final scheme delivers environmental benefits most efficiently and effectively possible for all beverage containers.”