All drink containers in England, whether plastic, glass or metal, will be covered by a deposit return scheme, the government has announced. The forthcoming scheme is intended to cut litter by returning a small cash sum to consumers who return their bottles and cans. Similar schemes operate in 38 countries, and campaigners have worked for a decade for its introduction in England. Fees vary depending on the size of the bottle or can, and many use “reverse vending machines” to automate the return. Once the containers are returned, retailers are responsible for properly recycling them. At present just 43% of the 13 billion plastic bottles sold each year in the UK are recycled, and 700,000 are littered every day. In Germany, a deposit return scheme was introduced in 2003 and 99% of plastic bottles are recycled. For the full story, see https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/mar/27/bottle-and-can-deposit-return-scheme-gets-green-light-in-england.