DRS Deposit Management Organisation announced for England, Scotland and Northern Ireland
The Deposit Management Organisation Ltd (UK DMO) has been formally announced today, as the operator of the future Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).
The DRS will include single-use PET plastic, steel and aluminium drinks containers and is set to be implemented in 2027. The DMO will manage the schemes in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland (pending parliamentary approval). Wales have not yet indicated whether and when their scheme will be launched.
The DRS regulations, passed earlier in the year, outline the establishment of the DMO and its responsibilities. Unlike the EPR scheme administrator – PackUK – the DMO is an industry-led body, and as such the board contains members from Aldi and Heineken UK amongst other stakeholders. The DMO is required to be a not-for-profit organisation and will, for instance, manage DRS logistics and set the deposit level.
The press release states that the DMO will begin ‘engaging with partners including the three governments, business, including drinks producers and retailers, consumer and environmental groups to design and operate a scheme which works for everyone’.
In a joint statement, the UK DMO Board has said:
“DRS is an opportunity to deliver a transformational step forward in the circular economy in the UK and the appointment of the DMO is a major milestone in that journey. We don’t underestimate the scale of the challenge, but our aim is simple – to build a system that’s fair, efficient and easy to use. Our work is already underway, and we’ll be working closely with governments, businesses of all sizes, environmental groups and consumer bodies to move forward as quickly as possible.”
The website for the DMO is here. Producers, retailers and other stakeholders can also sign up to a newsletter via the website, to keep on top of updates as the organisation develops.
