Shoppers will have to pay a refundable 10p or 20p deposit on plastic bottles, glass and cans
SHOPPERS will have to pay a deposit on cans and glass or plastic bottles, it was revealed yesterday.
Ministers are pushing ahead with plans for a refundable 10p or 20p on all drinks containers up to three litres in size.
People would get their cash back by placing the empties in a “reverse vending machine” under the Deposit Return Scheme to be introduced in 2023.
Michael Gove unveiled the plan which it is hoped will, after set-up costs, save £2.2billion in a decade by increasing recycling and cutting litter and greenhouse gases.
Around 14 billion plastic bottles, five billion glass and nine billion cans are used in Britain every year.
Mr Gove also wants to make all councils collect the same types of recycling and collect food waste “slop buckets” weekly.
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He made the announcement on what may be his last day as Environment Minister in case new PM Boris Johnson tries to end his anti-waste blitz.
He said: “We must do all that we can to protect our precious natural environment.”
An impact assesment of the deposit scheme admits some people — such as those in remote areas — may be left out of pocket if they can’t find a return machine.
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