How to take the consumer for a ride
Uzbekistan wants to introduce a mandatory deposit for bottles and cans
How to mislead the consumer
Uzbekistan has proposed introducing a mandatory deposit-return system for plastic and glass bottles, as well as aluminum beverage cans. This was announced at a meeting of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis by Iskandar Kutbiddinov, Deputy Chairman of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, while presenting the draft of the new version of the law "On Waste."
According to him, the current system does not provide sufficient economic incentives for the separate collection of packaging. "It is necessary to introduce a mandatory deposit system for plastic and glass bottles, as well as aluminum beverage cans. The voluntary scheme has not been implemented in practice, and the recycling rate of such waste remains low — just 6.2%," he stated.
### How the deposit system will work
The deposit system assumes that a deposit for the packaging is included in the price of the product, which the buyer can get back after returning the empty container to a designated collection point. For example, in some European countries, plastic and glass bottles can be returned through reverse vending machines installed in or near stores, allowing customers to receive back the amount paid at purchase. Packaging collected in this manner is sent for recycling.
According to Kutbiddinov, this will help stimulate the separate collection of waste, increase the volume of raw materials for recycling, and reduce environmental pollution. "Manufacturers and retail organizations must be provided with a phased transition period to create the appropriate infrastructure," he noted.
The meeting did not specify what the deposit amount would be, who would operate the system, where containers could be returned, or when the new rules might take effect.
It also remains unclear in what form the mandatory deposit system is framed in the draft law approved by deputies in the first reading.
### Uzbekistan already pays for returning used bottles
In September, the Agency for Waste Management and Circular Economy Development, together with the Norwegian company TOMRA, launched a pilot project to collect used containers through special reverse vending machines.
On September 23, the first devices began operating in Tashkent and the Surkhandarya region. In the capital, one of the reverse vending machines was installed in front of the National Committee on Ecology building at 7A Bunyodkor Street, in the Chilanzar district.
The machines accept plastic and glass bottles, as well as aluminum cans. A reward of 150 sums is provided for each unit of container, which can be received in an electronic wallet via the Click payment system or directed to charity. If the pilot project proves effective, reverse vending machines are planned to be gradually installed in high-traffic public areas in Tashkent and other regions.
However, the current mechanism differs from the proposed deposit system: currently, residents receive a reward for returning used containers without paying a deposit when purchasing the beverage. The amount of the future deposit has not yet been announced.