The situation with the accumulation of garbage in Ukraine, without exaggeration, is critical. This is most clearly manifested in the Lviv region. Because of the crowded polygons, garbage is transported to different regions of the country and is thrown out under the open sky. The police opened more than ten criminal proceedings, however Lviv garbage continued to “travel” throughout the country.

The other Ukrainian regions, Sumy, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson oblasts are also declaring a garbage collapse. However, it is obvious that this is not a problem for individual cities or villages, but for the whole of Ukraine. After all, every year Ukrainians form about 12-15 million tons of solid household waste, 40% of which are packagings. To date, most of the garbage dumps are filled by 90%.

Many containers are handed over by Ukrainians?

Tin cans, plastic and glass bottles Ukrainians throw in garbage along with other waste that accumulate in everyday life. And even if you really want to take the container to special points of reception of raw materials, you will have to look them up. For example, in Kiev, where about three million people live, seven such points. PET – bottles there take an average of three hryvnia per kilogram. That is, Ukrainians are absolutely not motivated to handle the packaging civilized. Moreover, they do not have the opportunity.

How are they treated in Europe?

Countries such as Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Estonia, Finland have solved the problem of accumulating tare by introducing a deposit system. There, people hand over bottles with the help of special automatic machines – fandomomov.

For example, in Germany this system has been working for more than 12 years. During the first months of the deposit system, the Germans returned around 85% of the container. And a year later and until today, the return rate has reached 98%. When buying a drink in its cost, 25 euro cents are pawned, and when the buyer returns it, it receives a check that can be paid in a supermarket or simply receive cash at the checkout. Thus, a person pays only for drinks, and for tare returns his money without losing a penny. The collected bottles are sent for recycling. That is, everyone wins: entrepreneurs, buyers, and ecology.

Is there a chance for Ukraine to solve the “garbage problem”?

People’s deputies visited Germany to learn the full cycle of the deposit system in order to adopt the European experience of collecting tare. According to the results of the meeting, they were convinced that a deposit system for collecting tare would help reduce the amount of garbage in Ukraine and encourage citizens to deal with waste civilized.

What is the use of the deposit system?

Undoubtedly, it may seem that the introduction of a deposit system for collecting tare – this is extra trouble for the buyer: first overpay, and then go still, take the bottles … Yes, the goods will rise in price by 2 hryvnia, but this money will then return to the buyer, and the container is guaranteed will be sent for recycling, not for landfill. The entire package handling system will become transparent to the buyer. After all, he will clearly know the price and the deposit for the container. Undoubtedly, the main advantage will be the reduction of household waste. In addition, a deposit system for collecting tare can become a tool to combat counterfeit products. Because, according to a special badge on the label, you will immediately see which drink you are buying: legal or counterfeit. There will be no such icon on the counterfeit drink.

What container falls under the deposit system?

It is planned that glass and PET bottles, as well as tin cans, will fall into the deposit system. The system will include non-alcoholic, alcoholic and low-alcohol drinks. Do not fall under the system of milk containers. In general, the number of different modifications of drinks that plan to “bring” into the system is huge. For example, in Lithuania, where the deposit system “Grąžinti verta” was launched in 2016, the system got 5,697 varieties of packaging.

What will be the amount of the collateral and why?

If in Ukraine the deposit system of collection of container works, then each Ukrainian will pay for the bottle by about two hryvnias more, but then, having handed over the bottle with the help of the fandom-machines (the automatic device for collecting tare that will stand in each store) will receive its hryvnia back.

For example, now a bottle of water costs 10 UAH. After the introduction of the deposit system, it will cost 12 hryvnia. Then, when the bottle is handed back, the person will receive his 2 hryvnia.

For comparison, in the US, the deposit for a container unit is 5 to 15 cents, in some EU countries – from 7 to 40 euro cents, in Lithuania – 10 euro cents, in Germany – 25 cents for any metal, glass, plastic containers from 0, 1 to 3 liters. In Soviet times, the collateral price of bottles was 15-20 kopecks, often exceeding the price of the beverages filled in them.

It is necessary to understand that 2 hryvnia is the preliminary amount of the pledge. It will be discussed, grounded, and possibly corrected. The collateral price should not depend on the cost of manufacturing the bottle, nor on its volume, nor on the value of the goods, nor on the color of the glass, etc. Otherwise, both the streets and parks will be littered with plastic and glass of bottles that will be “unprofitable” to return to the store. Too low price will also distract the buyer from participating in the collection of secondary raw materials. Two hryvnia – a price that can motivate the buyer not to throw the container in the garbage, and hand it over for further processing. But too high a price can induce fraud. For example, buy clean bottles and glue on them forged labels – in this “business” five years ago in Germany, one businessman got caught.

Where to go with the bottles?

Bottles will be accepted in all major supermarkets with the help of special automatic fandom machines. In small shops or villages and towns bottles can be taken with the help of special packages. In places where, a large population density, you can create independent reception points that can enter the reception service of the container, as a European model. That is, Ukrainians will no longer need to look for exactly where to drop bottles, moreover, it will be profitable to take bottles.

In addition, to hand over an empty bottle can be in any of the fandom’s. Even if you bought a drink in one store, and were taken to take the container to another.

A check can be disposed of in one of the ways (they will be prescribed by law): exchange from a cashier for money or pay a new purchase