A coalition of industry leaders and environmental organisations have raised concerns about proposed changes to Slovakia’s Deposit Return System (DRS) for single-use beverage packaging. Since its launch in 2022, Slovakia’s DRS has been a remarkable success, exceeding EU targets and achieving a collection rate of over 90%, years ahead of EU requirements.
The proposed amendments, which suggest shifting control from the current industry-led model to a state-run system, could jeopardize the DRS’s performance and transparency. This move risks undermining the system’s effectiveness and contradicts key principles in both Slovak and EU legislation.
We urge the Slovak government to maintain the integrity of this proven system and to engage in meaningful dialogue with stakeholders to ensure that any changes only build on the success achieved so far.
Signatories:
- European Aluminium
- EUROPEN
- Fair Resource Foundation
- Metal Packaging Europe
- Natural Mineral Waters Europe
- Reloop Foundation
- The Brewers of Europe
- UNESDA Soft Drinks Europe
- Zero Waste Europe