Defra Minister confirms glass will be excluded from DRS despite concerns

Defra Minister Mary Creagh has confirmed that glass will be excluded from the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for England and Northern Ireland, maintaining the position set by the previous Conservative government. This decision has sparked criticism from environmental campaigners and opposition MPs.

In a written response to Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Dyke, Minister Creagh stated: "The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers across all four nations will include single-use drinks containers from 150ml to 3 litres. In England and Northern Ireland, materials included in DRS are polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic, steel, and aluminium drink containers. Glass will not be in scope of the scheme."

Creagh added: "Across the UK, it is estimated that approximately 4 billion plastic and 2.5 billion metal drinks containers are not recycled every year – a significant amount being landfilled, littered or incinerated. Once the DRS for drinks containers is introduced, the Deposit Management Organisation will be required to reach a collection rate of 90 per cent of DRS containers in year 3 of the scheme."

With the Scottish Government matching Defra’s stance, it leaves Wales as the only nation in the UK planning to include glass in its scheme. The announcement comes ahead of Defra's 'rapid review' of the previous government's Environmental Improvement Plan, which includes proposals for a deposit return scheme.

The exclusion of glass from the DRS has raised questions about the consistency of Defra's recycling policies. Glass remains the most problematic target material affecting the quality of commingled collections of dry recyclables. Despite this, Defra has endorsed commingling through its Simpler Recycling legislation, which states that 'councils will be allowed to collect plastic, metal, glass, paper and card in one bin in all circumstances'. The decision to not include glass in a deposit return scheme suggests that the Government either does not believe glass significantly impacts the quality of commingled recycling collections or is unconcerned about quality issues.

Defra policy 'illogical'

The decision has drawn swift criticism from environmental groups and opposition MPs. Dominic Dyer, Chair of Nature 2030, said: "There is strong public demand for Labour to U-turn on this absurd Conservative position of excluding glass from England and Northern Ireland's deposit return scheme. And there is still time for the government to change tack as part of the 'rapid review' they are undertaking of the previous administration's whole Environmental Improvement Plan."

Sarah Dyke, Liberal Democrat MP for Glastonbury and Somerton, added: "The deposit return scheme creates an important opportunity to strengthen safeguards for the environment while supporting the UK's journey to net zero. The current approach of ministers is limited in ambition, and a scheme which excludes glass bottles will only hamper our efforts to achieve recycling rates in line with the rest of Europe."

The decision to exclude glass from the DRS in England and Northern Ireland contrasts with international best practices. Out of 56 deposit return schemes operating worldwide, 49 include glass. Those without typically have a separate returnable system for glass in place.

This latest development follows the joint statement issued by Defra and the devolved administrations in April 2024, which confirmed the postponement of the DRS until October 2027. At that time, the UK government indicated its preference for excluding glass, citing concerns about complexity and costs for the drinks industry and retailers.

Highlighting the environmental impact of glass waste, Jane Martin, CEO of City to Sea commented: "Not only was drinks-related litter found on 93 per cent of beaches surveyed in England, but glass was the third most common item collected. For a Government looking to create a zero-waste economy by 2050, excluding glass from a proven initiative that reduces waste, increases circularity, and promotes sustainable habits is illogical."

The decision to maintain the exclusion of glass from the DRS in England and Northern Ireland raises questions about the government's commitment to improving recycling rates and reducing litter. As the debate continues, environmental groups are calling for a reconsideration of this policy before the final DRS proposals are published.