Approximately 511 million bottles have been handed to the beverage package system since February 2022, when Latvia first launched this system, as confirmed by representatives of Depozīta iepakojuma operators LLC (DIO).
DIO notes that 7 700 tonnes of PET bottles, 10 000 of glass and 2 140 tonnes of aluminium have been submitted to the system so far, contributing to the recycling economy.
92 million glass bottles were returned to beverage producers for re-use.
Data compiled by DIO for this year indicate that of all the sold containers residents return water (88%), lemonade (84%) and PET beer bottles (91%) the most often. Cans are returned by 42% of residents and bottles from beverage syrups are returned by 29%.
This is why DIO invites residents to pay attention to deposit labels on bottles, so that all eligible bottles, cans and other beverage containers are returned to the system.
“The large number of returned containers is not our main source of satisfaction – rather the side-effect of having a cleaner environment. This is confirmed by our own observations and results of studies of multiple domestic environmental organisations,” says DIO board chairman Miks Stūrītis.
The deposit system’s return indexes are affected by multiple factors, including the number of containers released on the market in a specific month, residents’ consumption and package return trends, various celebrations and holidays.
For example, in the first half-year of 2023 the return index was 72%, in July it had reached 98%, by August it had dropped to 84%.
In the second half of the year the return percentage will be higher, because residents will gradually return the beverage containers that were used in the warm season.
The range of containers eligible for return was expanded in January – the biggest contribution came from strong alcoholic cocktails, which account for 84% of the new volume of returned containers.
This category of beverages was the one found the most commonly out in the open. After its addition to the list of containers eligible to be returned the number of containers thrown away sharply went down.
Stūrītis stresses that Latvia is currently the only Baltic country the deposit system in which includes all PET and canned alcoholic beverages, strong alcoholic drinks included.
Analysing compiled data, DIO concluded that containers that come in the most are for beverages residents consume more often outside their homes – various strong alcoholic cocktails. Return indexes for beverages like non-alcoholic wine and strong alcoholic beverages are lower.
“In turn, the peculiarity of the consumption of beverage syrups is that these products are consumed slowly. This is why their return time is significantly longer,” explains Stūrītis.
Also read: Beverage container deposit system in Latvia turns one year old