Inspectorate wants to increase deposit on plastic bottles to 50 cents for bigger impact

The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) wants to increase the deposit on large and small plastic bottles to 50 euros cents next year to entice more consumers to return their empty bottles. The new amount must take effect next year, the Financieele Dagblad reports based on a letter ILT sent to Verpact, the organization that regulates collection and recycling.

The new deposit is more than triple the current rate for small bottles and double that for large bottles. The deposit on cans will not increase, according to this letter. The ILT is also considering putting a deposit on more milk and juice bottles.

The increased deposits must take effect from July 2025. Verpact can only reduce the amount again after it demonstrates that it has reached the legally obliged target of collecting 90 percent of all bottles sold. In recent years, Verpact has only managed to collect around 70 percent of plastic bottles sold. The deposit on cans only took effect last year.

The ILT also ordered Verpact to improve its collection system. Consumers often complain that there are not enough collection points, which is why they are not returning their bottles and cans.

If Vepract does not implement these measures on time, it could face fines of up to 250 million euros, according to FD.