The Hungarian government has introduced a deposit return scheme (DRS) for beverage containers in a bid to move to a circular economy and reduce litter.

The scheme, launched on 1 January, covers cans, glass and plastic drinks bottles ranging in size from 100ml to 3lt.

Consumers will pay a flat-rate fee of HUF50 (US$0.14) per eligible container that is printed with a return code. The fee will be refunded once the container is returned. 

Tomra, the Norwegian company that provides the reverse vending machines (RVM) used in the Netherlands and other European countries, said it has already installed more than 1,000 high-volume RVMs in urban areas of Hungary in partnership with the country’s DRS administrator, MOL Hulladékgazdálkodási (MOHU).

“Cooperation is needed to protect our environment,” said MOHU’s head of producer responsibility systems Szilvia Szabó. “Everyone has a responsibility: beverage producers, consumers, retailers selling beverages and municipalities.”

RVMs will be placed at food retailers that have a floor plan exceeding 400 square metres, as well as in other accessible sites. Tomra said it will install additional RVMs throughout the central European country this year.

The DRS is part of the government’s plans to help Hungary meet the European Union’s Singe-Use Plastics Directive, which requires member countries to collect 90% of plastic beverage bottles by 2029.

European Aluminium (EA) and Metal Packaging Europe (MPE), which represent canmakers, aluminium canstock suppliers and recyclers, have set a goal of 100% recycling for aluminium beverage cans in Europe by 2030.

Milk and milk-based beverages are excluded from Hungary’s DRS.