Deposit Return Scheme

Sir, – While the Deposit Return Scheme is still at an early stage and there are teething problems, one has only to witness evidence already of the disappearance of many discarded drink cans and plastic bottles from our streets, parks and roadsides.

On Sunday morning I queued at one of the return machines along with parents who were showing their children the joys of recycling and being rewarded for their efforts.

If the schemes are a huge success in many countries around the world, surely we can make it happen here. – Yours, etc,

TOM RYAN,

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Churchtown,

Dublin 14.

Sir, – I have just finished reading the article by Conor Pope on the Deposit Return Scheme (April 22nd). The more I hear about the scheme, the worse it comes across. People are having issues that should have been common sense to the organisers during the roll-out.

The response from the spokesperson would not fill me full of confidence in their ability to rectify the multiple issues they are having countrywide. However, when they said the Reverse Vending Machines were more effective than regular recycling bins due to contamination, surely the most logical step would have been to supply anyone who already has bins with a specific bottle and can bin?

The majority of people are already paying for refuse and recycling bins, and this would have been at no added cost to the public or shops. I can’t see this return scheme being anything but an utter failure.– Yours, etc,

STEPHEN RING,

Portlaoise,

Co Laois.