Help us to get glass included in the government's upcoming Deposit Return Scheme
We need your help to get glass included in the Deposit Return Scheme!
Broken glass left in the environment poses a real risk to the safety of animals, children, and adults.
Yet the UK government is currently planning to exclude glass from their Deposit Return Scheme on the grounds of Health & Safety, stating in their consultation response that;
'reverse vending machines will... carry safety risks associated with handling broken glass. The weight of glass and the potential for breakages also poses consumer safety issues in transporting glass bottles to return points'.
At Keep Britain Tidy it is our view that the safety risks posed to the general public - and to pets and wildlife - by allowing smashed glass to remain in the environment are far greater than that to retailers, who will be trained to handle the material safely. After all, if consumers are able to take glass away from supermarkets safely, then surely they can return it, and be incentivised to do so through a Deposit Return Scheme?
We are asking you to write to your MP today, to ask that they urgently reconsider that glass bottles should be included in the upcoming Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) design.
Share Your Story
Since kick-starting our campaign to get glass included in the Deposit Return Scheme, we have heard stories from #LitterHeroes across the country who have found bottles and broken glass everywhere, from playgrounds to dog-walking routes.
We also heard from the Litter-Kickers; two inspiring young litter-pickers whose Halloween took a terrible turn thanks to broken glass:
"We had a bit of an unpleasant end to an outdoor Halloween party a few years ago when a piece of broken glass dropped in the grass led to a whole lot of extra (real) blood and an A&E visit to get stuck back together."
If you come across bottles or broken glass while out and about, share your story using the hashtag #PainInTheGlass.
