Throwing refundable cans and plastic bottles into public bins instead of using the Re-turn deposit scheme is costing Dublin City Council up to €1 million a year, according to council officials, amid growing concern over scavenging and street cleanliness in the capital.
The warning comes after criticism from Dublin City Council (DCC) chief executive Richard Shakespeare, who said parts of the city are being left looking like a “bomb site” as people rummage through bins searching for bottles and cans eligible for a refund. He said the behaviour is leading to damaged bins, litter strewn across streets and significant additional clean-up costs for the council.
Speaking this week, Shakespeare said the council is spending between €500,000 and €1 million annually dealing with the fallout. “On some occasions, I’ve seen people tip the bag upside down, and then we’re saying, ‘Oh the seagulls’. No, it’s not the seagulls. This is two-legged scavenging as opposed to winged scavenging,” he said.
The issue has been linked to the Deposit Return Scheme, which launched nationwide in February 2024 and applies to most plastic bottles and aluminium cans. Consumers pay a small deposit at purchase, which is refunded when containers are returned to designated machines. However, when bottles and cans are placed in public bins, they retain monetary value, incentivising people to search through rubbish to retrieve them.
In response to the criticism, Re-turn, the not-for-profit body operating the scheme, said it actively discourages people from disposing of in-scope containers in public bins. A spokesperson said the organisation encourages “consumers to return their in-scope plastic bottles and cans through the Deposit Re-turn Scheme rather than disposing of them in public bins”.
To address on-street issues, Re-turn has partnered with several local authorities, including Dublin City Council, to install bottle trays on top of bins. These trays allow people to leave bottles and cans beside bins rather than inside them, making collection easier and reducing the need for bin scavenging. “This makes on-the-go recycling visible and accessible while reducing litter and preserving valuable recyclable materials,” the spokesperson said.
However, Shakespeare expressed reservations about whether the trays are working as intended. When asked about their effectiveness, he said: “I don’t know, is the honest answer.” He also questioned the overall impact of the scheme, adding: “The interesting thing I would love to know is, before Re-Turn was established, what volume of plastic and aluminium was recycled, and what volume is it now?”
Despite the concerns in Dublin, Re-turn pointed to broader environmental gains since the scheme’s introduction. The organisation said Irish Business Against Litter has recorded a 60 per cent reduction in litter from bottles and cans across towns and cities nationwide since February 2024.
For Dubliners, the message from both sides is clear: returning bottles and cans through official Re-turn points, rather than placing them in city bins, could help reduce litter, protect public infrastructure and save the city significant clean-up costs each year.
