Can and plastic bottle deposit scheme and rural areas

Sir, – The Government’s deposit return scheme is the latest issue to adversely impact rural Ireland. In west Donegal, we don’t have local authority refuse collection, but instead engage a contractor who provides general and recycling bins and collects each on alternate weeks. The six-monthly fee I pay includes sorting the recycling rubbish. I just put plastics, cans, cartons and cardboard (not glass though) in the “blue bin” and it’s down to them to sort. Now, though, I must sort the drinks cans and bottles, storing them until I go to the return machine at the supermarket which is 5km away. This sorting is more onerous in Border counties, as invariably drinks cans and plastic bottles sourced in the North are mixed in and they aren’t part of the scheme, so must still go in the blue bin, for which I am still paying, as before, despite it now being only two-thirds full.

Any sorting errors on my part mean the machine rejects the can and I have to go outside the supermarket and put it in the can bank or take it back home for the blue bin.

The scheme is a “tax” on rural living. Yet the wealthy and time-poor residents of the capital won’t engage in the activity which I just described and forgo the 15 cent return and continue to chuck their refuse wherever they will.

I never envisaged that so much of my time in retirement would be spent sorting rubbish. Am I supposed to feel grateful to the Government for keeping me busy? – Is mise,