Exchange For Change has announced new UK recycling infrastructure to deliver the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) and appointed Re.Group to provide logistics and processing services in Scotland, working in partnership with Hargreaves Services plc.
A further four waste management and recycling providers have been appointed to provide logistics and processing activities across the rest of the UK. This approach is designed to ensure maximum resilience across the system and will also allow for infrastructure to be scaled in future, claimed the scheme administrator.
Around 400 new recycling vehicles are expected to be mobilised to facilitate the collection of DRS materials across the UK and a dedicated DRS processing facility in Scotland will be operational from October 2027.
The Deposit Return Scheme will see a 20p deposit applied to all single use PET plastic, aluminium and steel drinks containers between 150ml and 3l. Consumers will then get their deposit back when they take back their drinks containers to a return point.
Russell Davies, Exchange for Change Chief Executive, said: “The Deposit Return Scheme will transform how the UK recycles. This is not only about preventing waste from polluting our towns, countryside, rivers and beaches, but also about investing for the long-term in new environmental infrastructure, jobs and opportunities across the UK.
“Confirming our logistics and processing partners is another significant milestone in our preparations for the scheme going live from October 2027, and it is exciting to see investment in assets and facilities moving ahead, which will also generate hundreds of jobs across the UK.
“Together the five waste management companies will create a resilient and scalable collections network that will ensure efficient collection and processing of DRS materials. We look forward to working with our partners to deliver this crucial element of the deposit return scheme when it goes live in October 2027.”
Exchange For Change’s logistics and processing partners will be responsible for collecting the returned bottles and cans from return points and processing them so that the material can be recycled into new drinks containers. It is estimated that every year, more than 6.5 billion cans and bottles in the UK end up as waste rather than being recycled, whereas the average return rate in European countries with a DRS is 90 per cent.
Re.Group Managing Director David Singh said: “Re.Group is thrilled to be working with Exchange For Change to help deliver the UK DRS. Having delivered DRS services at scale in Australia, we have seen first-hand the positive impact these schemes have on communities and the environment; we are excited to be working with our logistic partners Hargreaves Services plc and with Exchange For Change to deliver great outcomes for the people of Scotland.”
The appointed companies and the regions they will cover are:
Re.Group – Scotland, working in partnership with Hargreaves Services plc
SUEZ – the North-East, North-West, West-Central and South West regions of England
CIRQLR – the East Central, South and South East regions of England
Bywaters – London
Re-Gen – Northern Ireland
