The Kaufland retail chain presented a pilot project of a system for the return of PET bottles and cans, February 23, 2023, Prague.
Prague – The nearest realistic date for the introduction of take-back of PET bottles and cans is 2025, but it may be even later. Deputy Minister of the Environment Petr Hladík (KDU-ČSL) told journalists today. According to him, many steps are needed for practical implementation. According to Tomáš Prouza, president of the Union of Industry and Trade (SOCR), it takes a year and a half to two years from the adoption of the legislation to start the system. According to Hladík, the government could discuss the bill by the end of the year. Kaufland and Lidl launched a pilot project for the return of PET bottles and cans today in Prague and other cities.
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In April, according to Hladík, the ministry plans to start consulting on the draft law with the Union of Cities and Municipalities, the Union of Industry and Transport and other organizations involved in recycling and waste management. The upcoming amendment to the European Packaging Regulation introduces an obligation for member states to introduce a deposit system in the event that they do not achieve a 90 percent takeback rate by 2026. Hladík noted that there is still a long way from the practical launch of the system.
Prouza stated that the successful introduction of the system will require an intensive explanatory campaign and the cooperation of the government, trade and beverage manufacturers. Backed-up bottles and cans will have to be returned uncrushed. According to Prouza, this is one of the things that the Slovak government underestimated during the introduction of the system, and people, for example, carried PET bottles trampled. The trade union estimated the costs of starting the system at around 5.2 billion CZK and the operation at 1.3 billion CZK per year.
Hladík stated that there are approximately 1.8 billion PET bottles in circulation in the Czech Republic and 800 million cans. “About 80 percent end up in dumpsters,” he said. According to him, the ministry's ambitions are aimed at using the principles of the circular economy and waste as a material much more.
According to Hladík, backup is also an opportunity to reduce the amount of waste in nature, so-called littering, which was also confirmed by experience in Slovakia, where backup was introduced last year. The introduction of the system is supported by the Backup Initiative, which brings together beverage manufacturers such as Mattoni 1873, Plzeňský Prazdroj or, for example, Kofola and Coca Cola HBC CR and SR. Initiative spokesperson Kristýna Havligerová said that beverage companies welcome the involvement of Kafland and Lidl in the pilot project. “A well-set system can effectively collect over 90 percent of used beverage containers, without any impact on the level of consumer prices,” she said. locations throughout Slovakia. She stated that in 2020 PET bottles accounted for 18 percent of waste collected in Slovakia and cans for 21 percent, in autumn 2022 cans accounted for five percent of waste and PET bottles for four percent.
The companies Kaufland and Lidl belong to the group Schwarz, each company launched a pilot project for the collection of PET bottles and cans in three stores. Kaufland started with it in Prague's Michli, Olomouc and Štenberk, Lidl in Prague's Modřany, Pilsen and Brno. In the second half of the year, they want to start the project in Pardubice and Karlovy Vary. People can return plastic bottles and cans in commonly used machines where glass bottles are returned. Bottles from 200 milliliters to three liters can be returned. They get discount vouchers for six returned bottles.
