Will we be able to prepare in time for the introduction of the deposit system? / Article / LSM.lv

In less than 10 months – on February 1, 2022 – Latvia must start operating deposit system. Alda Ozola, a representative of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, pointed out in the program “Environmental Facts” that there are no worries that the introduction of the deposit system in Latvia could be delayed, but stressed that the State Environmental Service (SES) must keep its pulse. –

The SES has concluded an agreement with the company “Deposit Packaging Operator” on the implementation of the deposit system in Latvia, and preparations are currently underway for the implementation of the system.

“Currently, a number of different partner selection processes and competitions are taking place. The most obvious is the tender for the selection of tarot suppliers, as well as the equipment, installation and other important things of the sorting center, ”said Miks Stūrītis, Chairman of the Board of SIA“ Depozīta Package Operators ”.

There will be at least 1,500 deposit acceptance points in Latvia, some of which will be accepted by employees, but vending machines will be located in 800–850 places. The total cost of implementing the deposit system could reach 30-35 million euros, and the lion’s share of the cost of purchasing the taromas themselves. The cost of purchasing taromats is between 22 and 30 million euros, the chairman of the board explained.

“We are also evaluating a vending machine rental model, in which we would pay vending machine suppliers for each package accepted. Five applicants have applied. There is a joint offer from Russia, from Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, there is from Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands, ”said Stūrītis.

Who will supply, rent or buy these taromas may be known at the end of the summer.

“The Packaging Law stipulates that a store that is 60 square meters and larger and located outside cities of national importance must ensure the acceptance of packaging in any way,” said Stūrītis. Meanwhile, in cities of national importance, deposit acceptance points must be in stores larger than 300 square meters.

The Latvian Traders’ Association considers that such a procedure is not advantageous. “We hoped that there would be an extended deposit, that in time we would be able to add others [iepakojumus]. This is not the case at the moment, and we believe that it is important to arrange for the apparatus not to be on every corner, because it is both expensive for people and for traders. There is no point, for example, in putting machines in the Spice shopping center, where there are some 8 dealers who have to put these machines or collect bottles. Logically, one collection point is enough to take the whole container, and it is not worth building eight. It is both expensive and inefficient, ”said Henriks Danusēvičs, Chairman of the Board of the Latvian Traders’ Association.

At the end of the summer, it is planned to develop an interactive map, where it will be possible to see where and what kind of packaging acceptance point is located.

Once a month, the deposit system implementer SIA “Depozītapakojuma operators” must submit reports on the work performed. It should be noted that the concluded agreement can also be supplemented.

“The deposit system cannot be worse than in the original application, so we monitor that the system is implemented in the appropriate plan, order and amount. The contract is for 7 years, but there will certainly be things that need to be improved during both the implementation and operation periods, and we will certainly do so. This applies both to the regulation of regulatory enactments and to the operation of the deposit operator itself, ”said Atis Treijs, Head of the Waste Management Division of the State Environmental Service.

It is planned to reach an agreement with the processing companies by the end of the summer, who could buy this collected packaging, and work is still needed on the establishment of a packaging sorting center.

It is now known that taromats must be able to adapt to the extended deposit system. It is also known that the packaging must not be flattened when handed over to the taromat, and it will be important to have a readable barcode.

CONTEXT:

In October 2020 approved by the government the rules of the beverage packaging deposit system. The deposit system in Latvia will start operating in February 2022. Knownthat the goods included in the packaging deposit system on store shelves will become ten cents more expensive, because this is exactly how it will be possible to recover by handing over the emptied bottle or can.

Competed in the competition of the beverage packaging deposit system operator two applicants: SIA “Depozītapakojuma operators”, which belongs to the largest beverage producers, and the company “Nulles depozīts”, where the owners in turn have representatives of the waste business.

State Environmental Service in the tender decided to entrust the beverage packaging deposit system to SIA “Depozīta Package Operators” for a period of seven years. The company must start the deposit system after more than a year – in February 2022.

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