Greece is launching a nationwide deposit-return system for plastic bottles and aluminum drink cans, and every empty you ...

Greece is launching a nationwide deposit-return system for plastic bottles and aluminum drink cans, and every empty you bring back puts money in your pocket. The Hellenic Recycling Agency licensed the operator, DRS Hellas, on November 9, 2026, with the approval announced two days later. The deposit is straightforward. Shoppers pay €0.10 extra on containers up to half a liter and €0.15 on anything from half a liter up to three liters, shown as a separate charge on the price. Return the empty container with a readable barcode to any collection point, and you get the full amount back as a receipt redeemable on purchases. The system covers water, soft drinks, juices, energy drinks, and beer. Glass bottles, cartons, and containers for wine, spirits, milk, and dairy are excluded. DRS Hellas is targeting 8,700 return points across the country during 2027, including supermarkets, shops, public spaces, and tourist areas. The system will go live once roughly 65% of that infrastructure is in place. The goal is to recover at least 90% of all covered containers by 2029. Greece joins 19 other European countries that already run similar deposit systems. The same model has been operating in Germany and across Scandinavia for years, consistently hitting recycling rates above 90%. EU rules on single-use plastics require all member states to implement comparable systems, and Greece's repeated delays in getting here, the law was first passed in 2020, mean the country is rolling out one of the more ambitious launch targets in the EU. The machines and manual collection points will be distributed through supermarket chains, smaller retailers, and shared public areas. DRS Hellas says geographic complexity, Greece's islands and heavy tourist seasons included, has been factored into the rollout plan. #Greece #Recycling #Environment