Deposit on cans from December 2022

As of 31 December 2022, there will be a 15 cent deposit on soft drink, water, and beer cans in the Netherlands, State Secretary Stientjie van Veldhoven of Infrastructure said in a letter to parliament on Wednesday. She believes this will decrease the number of cans that end up as litter in the environment.

The cabinet gave producers until this year to reduce the number of cans in the environment by 70 percent compared to the 2016 and 2017 average in order to avoid a deposit. Instead the number of littered cans increased by 27 percent. A deposit on cans is the automatic next step, Van Veldhoven said. The decision was supposed to be made later this year, but it is already clear that the agreed target will not be achieved.

The measure will take effect on 31 December 2022, to give the beverage sector and supermarkets sufficient time to prepare for it.

"About 150 million cans end up in the environment every year, about 25 Olympic swimming pools full," Van Veldhoven said, adding that this does not fit with the government's goal of a healthy and clean future. "With a deposit on cans, that will soon be a thing of the past."

Where and how consumers will return their cans for the deposit, still has to be worked out. According to Van Veldhoven, that is up to the producers and supermarkets. An exception will be made for catering establishments and small sellers.

From July 1 this year, there will also be a 15 cents deposit on plastic bottles. According to Van Veldhoven, research showed that this amount will result in 70 to 90 percent of plastic bottles and cans being returned.