Reusable on the upswing: Slovakia’s new return system for beverage packaging achieves rates of over 70% in the first year.
by Thomas Reiner
A deposit system for non-refillable PET bottles and metal cans was introduced in Slovakia at the beginning of 2022. The system relies on TOMRA return machines and a deposit return system. It is designed to meet the requirements of the EU directive on single-use plastics, enable higher return and recycling rates, and address the littering problem. The pre-specified return rate for 2022 reached 70 percent. The example of Slovakia underlines our conviction that reusable and return systems will continue to gain in importance. The trend is only just beginning.