Media, both print and TV, exercise enormous power over British people, as well as can sway government one way or another, especially when it comes to social and environment issues close to people’s hearts. It was the press who forced government to introduce 5p levy on supermarket plastic bags, thus reducing usage by some 85%. It could have been 99% if it was not half hearted attempt on part of the government, small shops being exempted.
Now entire media is concentrating on plastic bottles, as we use 30 million bottles daily. This new, deposit scheme will include beside plastic, glass bottles and drink metal cans as well, attracting some 10p to 25p deposit per bottle. It will boost recycling from current 60% to around 90% if it is not a half-hearted measure by the government. Shoppers will pay deposit when buying drinks, incorporated in the price we pay at the till which could be reclaimed using “Reverse Vending Machines” giving vouchers to be redeemed, cashed at the till. This will even encourage children to pick up bottles from streets, as there is money to be made in such an enterprise!
As usual, drink industry will make song and dance for the initial cost of introducing such machines, although such schemes are widely in use in many EU countries. Then Britain is soft touch when it comes to being exploited by the industry, whether it is cars, electrical goods, entertainment or holidays where we inevitably pay more than EU or US. The scheme could be run jointly by drink industry or an entire new entity can be created by the government, in association with the industry, imposing 1p levy per bottle to finance it. As different government operate under different schemes, we can study and choose the scheme that suits us best!
Kumudini Valambia
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