Re-turn says Dubliners should avoid dumping cans and bottles in city bins after ‘scavenging’ criticism from council
Dubliners should avoid dumping cans and plastic bottles in city bins, Re-turn has said after criticism from Dublin City Council (DCC) that parts of the capital are like a “bomb site” due to scavenging.
DCC chief Richard Shakespeare told the Irish Independent the scheme encouraged people to “scavenge” through bins looking for bottles.
He said this was leading to bin damage, as well as parts of the city looking like “a bomb site” due to rubbish being left strewn across the streets. It costs the city an additional €500,000 to €1m in annual clean-up costs, he said.
“On some occasions, I’ve seen people tip the bag upside down, and then we’re saying, ‘Oh the seagulls’. No, it’s not the seagulls. This is two-legged scavenging as opposed to winged scavenging,” he said.
A spokesperson for Re-turn said it encourages “consumers to return their in-scope plastic bottles and cans through the Deposit Re-turn Scheme rather than disposing of them in public bins”.
The not-for-profit body said it had partnered with several councils, including DCC, to install bottle trays along the tops of bins.
“This makes on-the-go recycling visible and accessible while reducing litter and preserving valuable recyclable materials,” it said.
The spokesperson added: “"The overall recycling rate for in-scope containers has risen from just 49pc prior to the introduction of the DRS, to over 90pc, with over 76pc of containers captured directly through Scheme."
Mr Shakespeare said he was not convinced by the trays as a solution. “I don’t know, is the honest answer,” he said when asked about their efficacy.
“The interesting thing I would love to know is, before Re-Turn was established, what volume of plastic and aluminium was recycled, and what volume is it now?” he said.
The Re-turn spokesperson said that since the introduction of the scheme in February 2024, Irish Business Against Litter has recorded a 60pc reduction in litter from bottles and cans across Irish towns and cities.