Alupro: ‘73% of Britons want DRS to go ahead’

Consultancy Yonder surveyed 2,000 UK adults between 30 August to 1 September 2024. 65% said that Westminster should follow the example of the Welsh government and set binding recycling targets for local authorities.  

More than 80% said that Labour needs to “be bold” in pushing through key environmental policies – with 82% wanting the new government to “right the wrongs” of 14 years of Conservative rule.  

Delays to environmental pledges 

Alupro has said that campaigners are afraid of delays to environmental pledges as the government focuses on fixing the state of public finances.  

Deposit return schemes across the UK have been subjected to multiple delays and debate over the scope of materials included.  

Tom Giddings, Alupro’s executive director, said: “The Great British public could not be clearer. They want Labour to get on and deliver for the environment.  

“They do not want landmark environmental policy such as deposit return schemes to be delayed beyond 2027. Britons have waited long enough for Whitehall to do right by the environment. 

“I look forward to discussing in Liverpool how Labour can deliver a real circular economy for this and future generations.” 

The poll has been published ahead of the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool where the delivery of “a real circular economy” will be debated.  

A DRS for all materials  

Notably, the poll also revealed that the British public support “an inter-operable scheme that includes all materials across the UK no later than 2027”. 

While glass will be included in the Welsh DRS, it is set to be excluded in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. 

Alupro has said that experts say that the deposit should be variable depending on the container size to mitigate the risk of people reaching for larger plastic bottles to avoid paying multiple deposits on smaller endlessly recyclable items such as aluminium cans in multipacks. 

Allison Ogden-Newton, CEO of Keep Britain Tidy, said: “We have long campaigned for a deposit return scheme including all materials. 

“We have heard countless stories of people and pets being endangered by littered glass, as well as our volunteers who struggle with removing broken glass from the environment as it cuts through plastic waste bags.”