Dutch city of Amsterdam to end deposits on plastic bottles after striking deal with packaging industry starting in 2014 at the earliest; new targets set, including 52% recycling rate for plastic waste in 10 years

Philip Goldsmith

LOS ANGELES , March 6, 2012 (Industry Intelligence) – Under a new agreement worked out between the packaging industry and an environmental official, the city of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, will increase waste recycling targets and eliminate deposits on plastic bottles, reported DutchNews.nl on March 6.

The new system for recycling packaging waste will take effect no sooner than January 2014, said Joop Atsma, junior environment minister.

Recycling targets for plastic waste, for instance, would increase to 52% within 10 years.

Packaging companies have complained that the current system for collecting plastic bottles separately from other plastic waste is expensive and inefficient, DutchNews.nl reported.

But ministers of parliament and local councils want to keep the plastic bottle deposits, saying that the fees imposed on large bottles reduce litter, the Financieele Dagblad reports.

They also believe that the €20 million (US$26.2 million) offered by the beverage industry for waste disposal is not enough.

The introduction of deposits on cans and small plastic bottles is proposed by some parties, reported DutchNews.nl.

The primary source of this article is DutchNews.nl, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on March 6, 2012.

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