Ireland should not accept the level of ‘bin scavenging’ that has arisen since the introduction of the deposit return scheme, an environmental group has said. 

Since the DRS was introduced two years ago, 2.5 billion cans and bottles have been recycled using the scheme. 

Before the DRS, only 49% of plastic bottles and cans were recycled; however, since then the figure has risen to 90%. 

However, the scheme has also led to an increase in people rummaging through bins looking for bottles to recycle in exchange for cash. 

Dublin City Council estimates the cost of clearing up after the rubbish that is strewn on the pavement is €500,000. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, Voice Ireland spokesperson Colin O'Byrne said so-called ‘bin scavenging’ is not ‘worth sucking up for the greater good’. 

“The consequences were unintended but they were hardly unexpected,” he said. 

“I think we're all familiar with the trope of the homeless character in American films going around with a trolley, picking up bottles and cans going back years. 

“That's always going to happen because once you put a deposit, which is effectively a bounty, on these bottles and cans, they're money in just a different shape.”

Deposit Return Scheme. Picture by: Gareth Chaney/Collins

However, he believes that people underestimate the “extent to the scavenging that goes on and the litter just being strewn across the streets”.

Mr O'Byrne suggested that councils could consider changing the design of their bins to make scavenging harder. 

“I suppose one of the things that the council mentioned was their solar compactor [bins], the big bellies, and that people have been prying them open and that they refitted the lots of them,” he said. 

“Now that's something that should be looked at; those solar compactors are a lot neater than the usual on-street bins for a start. 

“There's other things we could be looking at, like maybe more on-street reverse vending machines or just a greater amount of reverse vending machines. 

“If you're walking up Grafton Street, I'm not sure if you know where the nearest reverse vending machine is.”

The Deposit Return Scheme. Picture by: Alamy.com. 

Mr O’Byrne conceded that while every country with the scheme has the ‘bin scavenging’ “to a greater or lesser extent”, there are things Ireland can do to reduce its impact. 

“In Germany, what's happened is they've inculcated a culture where people just leave their bottles and cans beside the bins and people take them away.,” he said. 

“That appears to lead to less scavenging so there's a cultural, behavioural thing going on there. 

“Now, whether the Irish can do what the Germans can, that's up for debate.

“But certainly the point is a lot of people are still putting their bottles and cans in bins, whether that's because they don't really care or because there isn't an option for a reverse vending machine close by, we don't know.”

Main image: A Deposit Return Scheme Reverse Vending Machine. Picture by: Stephanie Rohan/Newstalk.