DDRS Alliance

“A pure return-to-retail model simply won’t deliver the collection and recycling rates the UK needs to achieve," said DDRS Alliance co-founder Duncan Midwood. https://lnkd.in/erCERUrj

Will glass be the straw that breaks the back of an aligned UK Deposit Return Scheme? It might! Whether glass is included in the UK DRS is not a technological question. It is indeed more than a question of policy. It is a question of the freedom of governments within the UK to make decisions on devolved matters. And ultimately it is a question of how the UK public can make decisions on what is best for them - in their circumstances. But technology can deliver the solution! The Welsh Government has been very clear about why they believe glass should be included. And, despite the overwhelming majority of the public believed to be supportive of glass being included in England and Scotland too, pressure from the glass industry to duck a DRS, has been successful in getting Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to back-track. Now, quite rightly, industry is up in arms about having potentially multiple DRS solutions across the UK. But who is the villain here - the Welsh Government, DEFRA (UK Government) or the glass industry? What if technology could easily enable glass to be included in some jurisdictions and not in others while not creating a fragmented UK market? No separate labeling, no different terms, no cross-border fraud and no country-specific SKU's. Just an ability to add a deposit in some countries and not in others. After all, there is no law against some shops or brands making consumer offers when they wish (picture) - is there? Digital DRS can achieve this. It can enable glass to be part of a DRS (most sensible environmentalists agree it should be in), but avoid the disastrous idea of glass being returned back to shops - just adding cost and threatening the level of recycling of a material we already recycle relatively well. The recent trial in Brecon proved how easy this is. All it needs is industry to engage with DDRS Alliance to refine the model and off we go! Peace is waiting to break out - but all must make an effort to make it happen. [where have I heard that before?] #DDRSAlliance #DigitalDRS #thefutureofDRS

DDRS Alliance takes the challenge head-on of demonstrating Digital DRS can operate effectively in any part of the UK Enfield Council have agreed to partner to host this ambitious trial right in the heart of London where recycling rates continue to struggle. Although based on the successful solution demonstrated in Brecon, Powys last summer, this trial will break new ground in running producer-serialised products through retail into people's homes and will trial some new fraud control measures. https://lnkd.in/eEgVcZBc #DDRSAlliance #DigitalDRS #thefutureofDRS

The report on the world’s first full town Digital DRS trial in Brecon is NOW OUT!! Read it all here: https://lnkd.in/eMnkXKrR #DDRSAlliance

The DDRS Alliance has announced today a next step in our mission to define the global blueprint for Digital DRS. https://lnkd.in/eegnvkXe The DDRS Alliance is a not-for-profit company building a membership of ambitious and far-sighted organisations to define the standards and framework for Digital DRS as it is set to roll out around the World. We are the only organisation who has this mission and sees the criticality of setting standards from the beginning! Polytag Limited has become one of the leading proponents of Digital DRS, has developed tools to support its future implementation and has led some groundbreaking trials. We are thrilled to announce that The DDRS Alliance and Polytag have agreed to collaborate on some key programmes going forward including the planned urban DDRS trial driven by the Alliance. #DDRSAlliance #DigitalDRS #thefutureofDRS

‘This is one of the greatest failures ever. If there is a mark or a dent [in the bottles or cans] they won’t take them. This is affecting small traders, too, because they don’t have the machines and it’s making everyone go to the big supermarkets. It’s almost making things worse and these machines are costing €16,000 or €17,000 I’m told. Who got the contract for that?’ https://lnkd.in/drcXCT6w This is from a story in the papers yesterday from a Councillor in Ireland. I suspect many of the issues are teething problems - I have been a huge supporter of getting a DRS out there and then going from there. HOWEVER, what this does show is the shuddering cultural and behavioural shift a traditional RVM-based deposit return scheme demands of the citizens. And these changes are NOT entirely around treating packaging differently - but more about not crushing or damaging cans and bottles for fear of losing your deposit and planning trips back to supermarkets to get your money back! Digital DRS works equally well even if cans are squashed and does not require the citizen to take the cans and bottles back to a supermarket. In short, Digital DRS fits into people's lives just as they are today. What Digital DRS focuses on is a huge mindset and behavioural shift around the value of packaging and how to create a circular economy - not how to change your day-to-day habits! I suspect there will be many other stories about this in the coming weeks and months! #DDRSAlliance #DigitalDRS #thefutureofDRS

Looking forward to speaking alongside the Welsh Government at the LARAC Wales Conference in July about how Digital DRS might play a part in the UK's Deposit Return Scheme #DDRSAlliance #DigitalDRS #thefutureofDRS

A great conversation today about DRS at the UK Water Conference in London The message from DDRS Alliance is simple: - Let's get a deposit return scheme introduced to the UK as soon as possible - Industry: engage with the Digital DRS programme - get involved with trials and sign up to the Digital DRS Charter - Let's pilot/start some digital DRS initiatives NOW - great for your brand loyalty, your customers, your supply chains and as a proof point for this technology GET IN TOUCH!! #DDRSAlliance #DigitalDRS #thefutureofDRS

https://lnkd.in/eywVaPcC

A HAPPY CHRISTMAS & BEST WISHES FOR 2024 TO YOU ALL ======================================= 2023 saw a landmark achievement in the development of Digital DRS - the World's first & only full community pilot of Digital DRS in Brecon, Powys. While the data & insights are still being evaluated (final reports due January 2024), there is no doubt that the trial demonstrated: * Digital DRS works & provides a simple and flexible solution for everyone to return their drink containers for a reward; * The public prefer to have a choice of return points & the majority find kerbside the most preferred; *Digital DRS can utilise existing infrastructure to provide a reliable collection solution. 2024 will see two further groundbreaking trials led by The DDRS Alliance - an urban trial with a segregated kerbside process & a Digital DRS solution without product serialisation.. 2024 could be even bigger and better than 2023 & so we plan to get some rest over the Christmas period. We look forward to updating you all on our successes through 2024! We hope you can recharge your batteries too and I wish you all the best of fortune and happiness in 2024!