Support for a deposit return scheme as a solution to litter

Recycling Netwerk has commissioned three studies into cans and bottles in litter. These show that the amount of litter has actually increased in recent years instead of decreasing. The vast majority of Dutch citizens and waste disposal services are therefore in favour of extending deposit systems to cans and bottles to prevent this packaging from ending up in litter any longer.

Research by TNS NIPO in 2005 shows that, according to nine out of ten cleaning managers in the Netherlands, the amount of litter on the streets is not decreasing. More than half even note an average increase of 18% over the past four years. Furthermore, not a single cleaning manager reported the sharp reduction in cans and bottles in that litter desired by the government. By far the majority of cleaning managers actually observe a significant increase in the number of cans and bottles in litter.

The increase in beverage packaging litter is confirmed by Trendbox's research into littering behaviour. The behavioural research shows that litter is increasingly being caused after using a bottle or can outdoors. During the last cabinet term, there appears to have been a gradual rise in this littering behaviour from 3.2% in 2003 to 5.7% in 2006.

Another TNS NIPO study from mid-2006 concludes that a large majority of Dutch people (65%) believe that the government is not taking sufficient measures to reduce litter. There are barely any people who are never annoyed by discarded cans and bottles. Three-quarters are regularly or often annoyed by it. And three-quarters of the Dutch population want a deposit system to be introduced for cans and bottles, just like in Germany. CDA and VVD recently voted against this, but a large majority of their supporters also turn out to be annoyed and want a deposit system.