The Deposit and Refund System (SDR) for packages will have a 90% rate of return in three yearsestimates the association SDR Portugal, a candidate for the management of this mechanism, in which it wants to invest up to 100 million euros.
“We see in relatively mature systems that the median is around 90%, I am talking about Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Lithuania, Norway or Sweden. We think that in the first year we will not be able to, but in a maximum period of two to three years we will be able to have this rate of recovery”, said the president of SDR Portugal, Leonardo Mathias, in an interview with Lusa.
SDR Portugal is made up of companies from the beverage and retail sector, such as Coca-Cola, Central de Cervejas, Sumol+Compal, Super Bock Group and Unilever (Circular Drinks), and brands such as Auchan, Intermarché, Lidl, Mercadona and Sonae MC ( SDRetailers).
This association is a candidate for a license or concession to administer the Deposit and Reimbursement System single use beverage containerswhose entry into operation was scheduled for January 1, 2022, with an estimated investment of more than 100 million euros, of which 70 million euros will be made in the first two years.
so far a pilot project collection of this type of packaging, which provided benefits to consumers, such as discount coupons, used for purchases or donations to social solidarity institutions.
“The past government introduced pilot projects, which are still a smart and very important intervention. […]. In the last two years, this learning has taken place, now SDR Portugal understands that it is ready to legitimately request the license or concession”, underlined Leonardo Mathias.
The model that is now proposed wants to go beyond the test and see a bottle “as a value” and not as a waste.
Through this system, the consumer will recover part of the amount paid for the packaging in questiondepositing them in the machines available for this purpose.
For example, “if a bottle [até três litros] It costs one euro, its ex-factory value is 1.10 euros and retailers cannot negotiate or discount it. However, if the consumer delivers it to the correct place, you will get that 10 cents“.
SDR Portugal wants to install on 2,600 deposit and cash-back machines in large commercial areas, ensuring the collection of containers in more than a third of the 90,000 existing points in traditional commerce and in the Horeca channel (hotels, restaurants and cafeterias).
These machines will be almost “value centers” and the clean and unitary collection of single-use bottles, such as plastic, steel or aluminum, will contribute to increased recycling rates and savings in terms of waste cleanup.
According to a study requested by the association from the consulting firm 3drivers, based on qualitative data from the links in the chain and on other analyzes already carried out, on the impact of the deposit and reimbursement system on Urban Waste Management Systems (SGRU), A reduction in costs associated with cleaning is expected to be between 20 and 40 million euros per year.
The analysis in question also points to potential gains for the SGRU and the municipalities of between nine and 20 million euros, with the reduction in the costs of collecting and sorting containers and beverages, which are transferred to the SDR.
“We think that our recycling industry has the installed capacity to receive more material. Considering that raw materials are so high, I think this is a very interesting opportunity”, said the president of SDR Portugal.
this ecosystem should create between 1,000 and 1,500 direct and indirect jobs in Portugalin tasks related to the maintenance, cleaning, collection, distribution or recycling of machines.
The machines will be placed mainly in supermarkets, but SDR Portugal is studying the possibility of extending this system to places that have not yet shown great receptivity, such as schools, a problem that can be overcome with communication campaigns.
On the other hand, considerimportant” seasonal collection at tourist points.
Leonardo Mathias highlighted the importance of having a single license, with free competition, similar to what is already happening with the SIBS, warning that various systems can generate confusion and distortion.
“If we come up with something different, I don’t know what kind of response rates we’ll get. In the US, licensing is at the state level. Massachusetts uses the model that we defend with a single administration and Connecticut opted for a mixed public and private system. The first has 90% collection and the second, in 15 years, has never exceeded 50%, ”she said.
The system also presents some challenges, such as making payments to those who still operate in analog mode, but also opportunities, since deposit machines are not yet manufactured in Europe.
“We challenge the Portuguese entities to think about this. There are no machines in Europe. We believe it would be a great opportunity for Portuguese companies”, he concluded.
The non-profit association SDR Portugal promotes this Friday, at the Museu do Oriente, in Lisbon, a day to promote this system, with several experts in the sector.
Source: Observadora
