Deposit Return Scheme for Wales confirmed

Welsh deputy first minister Huw Irranca-Davies has confirmed that the The Welsh Government will move ahead with a Deposit Return Scheme.

Wales already ranks second in the world for recycling, which the government says places it in a good position to introduce more recycling schemes.

It was pointed out that a delay in implementing the scheme was caused by the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020, inherited by the UK Government from the previous administration. This means that the Welsh Government was not able to proceed with a joint process with the UK Government and Devolved Governments.

Irranca-Davies said: "That means that to develop a DRS that will deliver benefit to Wales necessitates an approach which looks Beyond Recycling; one that will support Wales to build on our progress to date and take the next step by supporting the transition to reuse.

"Recognising the effort that everyone across Wales has put into our progress on recycling, it also means that it is vital that the introduction of a DRS will build upon and not detract from the progress everyone has worked so hard to deliver."