Germany

In Germany, the container deposit law, known as Pfand or Einwegpfand, was enacted in 2002, and implemented on January 1, 2003. However, its implementation was contested by lobby groups from the German bottling industry and by retailers. The legal battle included litigation in the German Federal Administrative Court and the German Federal Constitutional Court, but the Federal Government was victorious in all legal instances.[2]​ The deposit law does not apply to containers of fruit juices, wines, spirits and certain diet drinks.

In 2010, the standard deposit for all non-returnable containers (aluminum cans, non-returnable glass bottles and plastic bottles) is 0.25 euros.

Before 2002 there were other deposit systems for returnable containers, for example beer bottles or carbonated water containers, some of these systems are still in use. The deposit in these cases is not regulated by law since this is a matter at the sole discretion of each of the manufacturing companies. However, there are some standard rates that are widely used:.

• - Glass bottles for most beers and mixed beer drinks (usually up to 1/2 Liter): €0.08.

• - Reusable glass bottles (usually up to 2 Liters): € 0.15.

• - Plastic bottles for most soft drinks: €0.25.

• - Reusable glass bottles of special type or design such as beer bottles with Flip top lids: between € 0.15 and 0.50.

Before the introduction of the Euro (€), the deposit was 15 pfennig for reusable glass beer bottles and 30 pfennig for other glass bottles and plastic bottles.

Australia

The state of South Australia has a rebate of 10 cents per foil container or bottle[3]​ (increased from 5 cents at the end of 2008). In the 1970s the rebate was 30 cents for a 30-ounce (887.2 ml) bottle and 10 cents for a 10-ounce (295.7 ml) bottle). With the introduction of plastic and non-reusable bottles the deposit was reduced to 5 cents (including aluminum cans). This amount remained unchanged for thirty years.

Recently the deposit was extended to paper cartons, such as flavored milk and orange juice. The Environmental Protection Act of 1993 (SA)[4]​ regulates everything related to the collection and refund of deposits. The value and scope of application of this law has been influenced by the constitutional guarantee of free trade between the states. The most significant case on this issue was the attempt to introduce a differentiation in the deposit of reusable and recyclable bottles. The case was sent to the Supreme Court of Australia - Castlemaine Tooheys Ltd v South Australia.

Around 600 people work in bottle recovery in South Australia. Groups such as the Scouts operate deposit collection and refund centers.[5] While there are professional collectors who use small trucks to regularly visit specific places such as bars and restaurants; There are also socially marginalized people who search garbage dumps for bottles with a deposit; These collectors often travel by bicycle, often ingeniously modified to transport large packages of the bottles they find.

Victoria "Victoria (Australia)") had a deposit scheme, but it was discontinued. A similar scheme was reintroduced in 2009, but was suspended again after the Victorian Green Party's proposed 10-cent deposit bill passed the state government.[Nt-2]​.

The Northern Territories are set to introduce packaging deposit legislation similar to that in South Australia in late 2011.[6]​.

It has also been proposed to create a national deposit scheme.[7] Attempts to introduce similar legislation in other states have been unsuccessful to date (2011).

Canada

Many provinces in Canada have already implemented deposit and refund systems for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in glass, plastic, aluminum and tetrapak containers. Deposits range from 5 cents to 40 cents per unit.

In Ontario the deposit scheme for beer bottles, administered by The Beer Store") (owned by three Ontario manufacturers: Labatt, Molson and Sleeman),[8]​ has a return rate close to 100%. Bottles can be cleaned and reused between 15 and 20 times. As of February 5, 2007, the deposit scheme was extended to wine and spirits bottles.[9]​ All bottles (Beers, wine and spirits) can only be returned for refund at "The Beer Store". This is despite the fact that spirits can only be purchased in government-run stores, and wines only in specialized stores or directly from the Wineries.

Spain

Law 11/1997, of April 24, on Packaging and Packaging Waste, contemplated in its Chapter IV, "Deposit, return and return system and integrated waste management systems for used packaging and packaging", that packers and merchants of packaged products or, when it is not possible to identify the above, those responsible for the first placing of packaged products on the market are obliged to establish this mechanism for the management of packaging waste. packaging.

Law 7/2022, of April 8, on waste and contaminated soils for a circular economy incorporates in its Article 59. Separate collection of plastic bottles the following provision:.

In anticipation of this development, Ordinance 12/2022, of December 20, on Cleaning of Public Spaces, Waste Management and Circular Economy of the Madrid City Council includes the following possibility:.

Netherlands

Soda bottles made of Polyethylene Terephthalate (known as PET) have a deposit of 25 cents each, this type of bottle has a reported return percentage of 95% (26.6 kton), while the return percentage reported for bottles of the same type but without a deposit is 66% (11.3 kton) (2010).[10]​.

Glass beer bottles have a deposit of 10 euro cents, plus another deposit of 1.50 euro for the plastic box. The return percentage for these bottles is 90% (about 2.16 billion) in 2009.[11]​.