Fighting litter with 15 cents: new deposit on cans and plastic bottles 

Between now and the end of 2022, the Netherlands is introducing not one, but two new deposit systems. One for cans and one for small single-use plastic bottles.

The goal? Increase recycling and reduce the amount of cans and bottles that end up as litter in our environment. Double huzzah. While we prefer the ‘let’s not buy single-use bottles and cans in the first place’-approach, we obviously support attempts to stop (plastic) waste from polluting our oceans. So here’s what’s happening.

Will the deposit system help fight plastic pollution?

Based on research, the government expects that introducing a deposit on cans and a deposit on small single-use plastic bottles will result in 70 to 90% less of them littering the environment. If true, that’s obviously a pretty big win. Plus, since the manufacturers get a ‘clean’ supply of used cans and bottles through the return system, more of them can be recycled into actual cans and bottles –without loss of quality.

Alternatives to single-use products

We’re very much fan of any efforts to stop plastic from polluting our environment. But if we’re being honest, we hope you won’t be returning any single-use plastic water bottles to the shop for recycling. Why? Because hopefully, you won’t buy them in the first place. Instead, we envision you drinking delicious tap water from your reusable Dopper bottle. A sustainable water bottle you can use again and again. And again. Saving our oceans from plastic pollution with every sip you take. You hero.