Some 50,000 bottles and containers were deposited in the first day of a new scheme to encourage recycling and cut plastic waste, according to its operator.

The Beverage Container Refund Scheme (BCRS) sees people having to pay 10c more for drinks in the shops and reclaim the money if they return their containers to be recycled. 

Some 320 Reverse Vending Machines were switched on across Malta to collect the single-use drink containers. BCRS said the machines collected 50,000 by 4pm and issued over 8,100 vouchers.

"As soon as the machines went live late last night, within minutes, people were already using the machines," a spokesperson said.

Watch Times of Malta's Daniel Ellul tests out the bottle deposit recycling scheme.  Video: Karl Andrew Micallef

"Within the first two hours, a few thousand containers had already been returned. This number has since increased dramatically within a short period of time, as people are flocking to the machines with bags of containers."

BCRS, a consortium made up of some of Malta’s largest beverage distributors, hopes 70 percent of its containers will be recycled within two years. 

Only glass bottles, cans, and plastic bottles that are registered with the company are accepted.  

Plastic bottles cannot be squashed and should ideally have their tap on. Tin and some glass containers are also accepted. The beverage barcode must remain intact or the machine computer will not be able to register the container.  

The rules regulating the bottle refund scheme were introduced in 2020, partially to fulfil the implementation of an EU directive on plastic packaging.

When Times of Malta visited a machine in Sliema on a rainy Monday morning, very few people were trying out the scheme.

While some containers were accepted, squashed plastic bottles, wine bottles, and some containers that do not fall into the scheme, were all rejected. 

Shopkeeper and Sliema deputy mayor Anton Debono said that customers will initially find it "strange" that they will have to pay more for their bottles.

"A €2 pack of water will now cost €2.60," he said, as an example.

"However, I believe that the scheme will be effective in reducing waste. People are already aware: they're holding on to bottles because now it's 10 cents more to buy them."

The reverse vending machines do not offer actual refunds. Instead, a person is given a coupon that can be used as credit in a shop or can choose to donate to the community chest fund. 

Environmental NGO Friends of the Earth welcomed the incentive describing it as “one measure through which Malta will hopefully reach its recycling targets”.  

However it offered eight recommendations to “fine tune” the initiative including accepting all beverage containers and increasing the refund. 

The €18 million scheme is is funded and operated by The Malta Beverage Producers Association, the Malta Beverage Importers Association and the Malta Beverage Retailers Association. 

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