Portugal and France adapt to EU recycling mandate
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Portugal and France are implementing deposit return systems (DDR) for plastic bottles and cans to meet European Union recycling targets, despite local challenges.
Portugal joined 18 other European nations in adopting the Volta DDR system in April, giving consumers ten cents for each returned container. While intended to boost recycling, the system has led to issues in cities like Porto and Lisbon, where people are searching through bins for containers, causing vandalism and hygiene problems.
Over 45,000 people have signed a petition to end the Volta system. France initially planned a similar national DDR but abandoned it after local authorities protested losing revenue from existing recycling programs. French municipalities collect money from selling recyclable materials and feared the new system would cut into those funds. Instead, France will pursue regional DDRs to meet EU goals. The EU requires member states to recycle at least 90% of plastic bottles and cans by 2029.
Countries failing to meet this target face potential fines. Portugal currently recycles around 40% of plastic packaging, so the DDR is mandatory. While France has a higher recycling rate of 58.7%, it also chose to comply with the EU directive through regional solutions. The German model, which began in 2003, faced similar issues with informal collectors but adapted by creating designated collection points.
