Pilot scheme for a deposit return scheme on one of the Balearic Islands.

The project

Act 8/2019, on Waste and Contaminated Soils in the Balearic Islands is aimed at improving the sustainable management of waste, and is designed to be a legal tool with which to bring about a shift towards the new European, and world, paradigm, of the circular economy.

Among the measures contemplated, it explicitly refers to the deposit return scheme (DRS) for packaging as one of the most effective ways to increase recycling rates, improve the quality of materials and combat the discarding of plastic waste in the environment and the Mediterranean Sea.

A DRS is a management mechanism in which, to encourage citizen involvement, a deposit is charged on the packaged product at the moment of purchase, which is then refunded when the consumer returns the packaging at one of the collection points set up for this purpose.

The current pilot project will last for three years on one of the islands, and includes a period in which to design how the system will be implemented, inform the public, acquire the resources needed for implementation, and for reviewing and following up the results achieved. If favourable, a proposal for implementation for the rest of the islands will be made.

This will contribute greatly to real environmental sustainability and the possibility of obtaining a seal of quality as a tourist destination that is leading the way.