Wales set to include glass in Deposit Return Scheme

The UK government has considered the Welsh Government’s request for an exclusion from the UK Internal Market (UKIM) Act market to allow Wales to include glass in its Deposit Return Scheme. 

The UK Government has offered Wales an exclusion covering single-use glass bottles in its deposit return scheme (DRS). This is conditional on Wales launching its DRS for plastic and metal drinks containers on 1 October 2027, aligning with key interoperability requirements for a UK-wide scheme (including single registration and reporting, reciprocal takeback, common labelling and deposit levels), and extending the transitional period for glass until October 2031. A joint taskforce will oversee interoperability and implementation across the UK.

You can read the First Ministers of Wales’ statement here.

SGF is working with the DRS Scheme Administrator, Exchange for Change, to consider if this decision will have any impact on the Scottish scheme. There are no plans for glass to be included in the Scottish Scheme at this stage.