France retreated from implementing a deposit refund system for plastic bottles, opting for a voluntary model instead. The decision was made after strong opposition to implementing a plan similar to the Portuguese system called Volta.
Portugal already has a voluntary deposit system for plastic packaging through the Volta program. This system allows consumers to return plastic bottles in exchange for a refund.
The European Union aims to reduce the environmental impact of plastic packaging. This European guidance has pressured member states to adopt measures to decrease the amount of plastic waste in the environment.
The French retreat illustrates the difficulties that governments face when trying to implement mandatory deposit systems for packaging, even when there is pressure from the EU to achieve more ambitious environmental goals.
