The Spanish Government announced that it will implement the Deposit, Return, and Refund System (SDDR) within two years throughout the national territory for single-use plastic bottles. This decision was made after noting that in 2023, only 41.3% of these containers were separately recognized, a figure well below the 70% required by the Waste Law.
The report from the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (Miteco), published days ago, stated that the separate collection objectives established in Article 59 of the Waste and Contaminated Soils Law were not met for
This new used packaging management system establishes that consumers will have to pay an additional fee when purchasing a packaged product, which will be refunded upon returning the empty container. This model, reminiscent of the traditional glass bottle return system, will apply exclusively to bottles.
Data on plastic bottles in Spain
According to Miteco’s estimates, in 2023, 214,039 tons of plastic bottles entered the Spanish market. Of this total, only 74,482 tons were separately collected by local entities and another 14,017 tons by private collection systems. However, close to 60% of these containers were not returned to the system, which could lead to non-compliance with the objectives set by Directive (EU) 2019/904, which aims to reduce the environmental impact of certain plastic products with intermediate targets.
So far, Spain operates under the Extended Producer Responsibility Collective System (SCRAP), a non-profit model that brings together manufacturers and importers of products that generate waste. According to Ecoembes, this system covers a wider variety of waste beyond bottles, offering a more comprehensive approach to recycling compared to
On the other hand, Greenpeace described the Government’s announcement as a “historic victory”, the result of fifteen years of campaigns in favor of bottle returns. The environmental organization highlights that this advancement represents a key step towards a more sustainable management model.
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