| Name of Program |
The Law on Packaging and Packaging Waste | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date Implemented | Enacted 2014, Implemented 2016 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Containers Covered |
Containers of the following materials between 0.1L and 3L:
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| Beverages Covered |
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| Excluded Beverages |
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| Fees and Taxes |
Producer fees (2023) [2]:
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| Refundable Deposit |
€0.10 (USD$0.11) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Unclaimed deposits | Retained by the PRO, Užstato sistemos administratorius (USAD) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Handling Fees |
Manual collection or RVM without compaction [3]:
RVM with compaction:
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| Redemption System | Return-to-Retail: Containers can be returned for a refund of the deposit in all shops with an area of >300m2 (>60m2 in rural areas) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Program Success |
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Details
Lithuania implemented a container deposit program in February 2016. The producer responsibility organization administering the program is Užstato Sistemos Administratorius (USAD), a non-profit organization comprised of three beverage industry stakeholders: the Lithuanian Association of Breweries, the Association of Lithuanian Trade Enterprises, and Lithuanian Natural Mineral Water Manufacturers’ Association. [17]
Consumers may return eligible containers through reverse vending machines (RVMs) or through manual collection points. Manual collection points include nearly all stores that sell beverage containers, as part of the program's "return-to-retail" model. As of November 2018, USAD reported they operated roughly 1,000 RVM's and over 1,700 manual collection points. [18] Most containers are reportedly collected at RVM points.
Lithuania's deposit scheme is widely celebrated by its public and others. A consumer survey in 2018 reported that 97% of consumers were satisfied with the functioning of the deposit system and believed the deposit system was necessary. In the same year, they reached their targeted goals for 2025. [19] This contrasts with the collection rate of plastic waste in 2015, prior to the system's implementation, which was only 55%.
Footnotes
[1] "Deposit." Užstato Sistemos Administratorius. Last accessed August 10, 2023.
[2] "Industry Fees." Užstato Sistemos Administratorius. Las accessed August 10, 2023.
[3] "Cost Reimbursement Rates." Užstato Sistemos Administratorius. Last accessed August 10, 2023.
[4] Private communication with Užstato Sistemos Administratorius representative. August 18, 2023.
[5] See footnote 4.
[6] See footnote 4.
[7] See footnote 4.
[8] See footnote 4.
[9] See footnote 4.
[10] "Užstato už vienkartines pakuotes sistemos organizavimo plano 2016-2018 m. vykdymo." Užstato Sistemos Administratorius. Last accessed September 7, 2023.
[11] "Užstato už vienkartines pakuotes sistemos organizavimo plano 2017-2019 m. vykdymo METINĖ ATASKAITA UŽ 2017 METUS." Užstato Sistemos Administratorius. Last accessed September 7, 2023.
[12] "Užstato už vienkartines pakuotes sistemos organizavimo plano 2018-2020 m. vykdymo METINĖ ATASKAITA UŽ 2018 METUS." Užstato Sistemos Administratorius. Last accessed September 7, 2023.
[13] "Užstato už vienkartines pakuotes sistemos organizavimo plano 2019-2021 m. vykdymo METINĖ ATASKAITA UŽ 2019 METUS." Užstato Sistemos Administratorius. Last accessed September 7, 2023.
[14] "Užstato už vienkartines pakuotes sistemos organizavimo plano 2020-2022 m. vykdymo METINĖ ATASKAITA UŽ 2020 METUS." Užstato Sistemos Administratorius. Last accessed September 7, 2023.
[15] "Užstato už vienkartines pakuotes sistemos organizavimo plano 2021-2023 m. vykdymo METINĖ ATASKAITA UŽ 2021 METUS." Užstato Sistemos Administratorius. Last accessed September 7, 2023.
[16] "Užstato už vienkartines pakuotes sistemos organizavimo plano 2022-2024 m. vykdymo METINĖ ATASKAITA UŽ 2022 METUS." Užstato Sistemos Administratorius. Last accessed September 7, 2023.
[17] "Global Deposit Book 2020." Reloop. Last accessed August 10, 2023.
[18] "About." Užstato sistemos administratorius. Last accessed August 10, 2023.
[19] "Lithuanian Deposit System – Environmental Champion in Eastern Europe." Užstato sistemos administratorius. Originally presented at the 1st European Conference on Deposit Return Systems, November 2018.
Last Updated on September 7, 2023.