A return to charging refundable deposits on bottles and cans isn't the way to improve recycling rates, says the British Retail Consortium (BRC). "In fact, it could do the opposite." Reacting to a report from the Campaign for Rural England, the BRC said that resurrecting the old-style schemes, "Would actually undermine existing recycling achievements by jeopardising the economics of local kerbside collections." "Establishing a whole new infrastructure would be an expensive waste because bottles and cans aren't the issue." Adding: "The next major target for raising recycling rates is rigid plastics, like tubs, pots and also trays. With plastic bottles raising around £300/t and aluminium cans £900/t, diverting them from existing recycling routes would threaten the viability of those schemes."
