Pocket change for planet change

A quiet revolution is happening across Ireland, one bottle and can at a time, and Dublin students are paving the way, hoping to foster a culture of sustainability on campus.

Launched on 1 February 2024, Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), which places a refundable deposit of €0.15 on cans and €0.25 on plastic bottles, has quickly gained momentum.

Re-turn, the organisation appointed by the Irish government to help meet EU’s recycling target, has seen over 980 million bottles and cans returned across Ireland since the scheme launched one year ago, with Irish campaigners hailing significant reductions in drinks litter.

The scheme has grown from an initial two million containers returned in February 2024 to an average of 3.2 million daily returns by July 2024. By August 2024, 45% of containers placed on the market had been returned through the scheme.

With the scheme operating over 2,600 reverse vending machines (RVMs) and nearly 500 manual return points nationwide, it aims to help Ireland meet the EU’s 90% recycling target by 2029, and students are playing a crucial role in driving these numbers.

Rebecca Flanagan, sustainability events and senior media coordinator at TU Dublin, highlighted student-led efforts: “Students at Bolton Street secured funding to develop a Deposit Return Scheme collection point, with proceeds going to a local charity.

“Similarly, a porter at our Aungier Street campus has been running an initiative where funds generated go to a cancer charity. A group of students at the Grangegorman campus are also working on setting up a collection point,” she said.

Joshua Hawkins (21), a Visual Merchandising student at TU Dublin, says the scheme influences his day-to-day habits.

“It’s such an easy way to recycle. Plus, getting the deposit back is a nice little bonus, especially as a student,” he said.

Siún O’Connor (22), a Social Policy and Political Science student at Trinity College Dublin, believes the financial incentive has played a big role in changing behaviours.

“People are starting to see bottles and cans as something valuable rather than just rubbish. It’s interesting to see how quickly people adapt when there’s a clear incentive,” she explained.

Beyond the individual impact, students are also influencing their peers. Clara Tyrrell (22), a Food Science student at TU Dublin, noted that recycling is becoming more of a collective habit.

“A lot of my friends are more mindful of recycling now, especially when it’s so easy to do,” she said. “I think it’s helping change the culture around waste.”

Although the scheme has received wide appraisal, there are still obstacles to overcome. Rebecca Flanagan pointed out that the design of the reverse vending machines remains an issue.

“The scheme is not yet perfect by any means. For example, the design of machines is not accessible for wheelchair users or younger children due to the opening being too high,” she said.

For students like Alex Deegan (22), an Early Childhood Education student at Marino Institute of Education, accessibility is a key concern.

“Recycling should be something that everyone can do easily. If students are leading the way, we should also push for improvements that make it fair for everyone,” she said.

Flanagan said she hopes the scheme will become more data-driven to help institutions track progress and participation.

“At TU Dublin, we would like to establish baseline data showing how many cans and bottles we are diverting this year, and work together with students to set annual reduction targets,” she said.

“I think students will push for more initiatives like this,” Tyrrell said. “We’re already seeing it become a social norm in colleges.”