volta reaches 100 million beverage containers returned in just three months

volta reached the milestone of 100 million single-use beverage containers returned this week, just over three months after the launch of the Deposit Return System (DRS). The estimated collection rate up to July has already reached approximately 38%, demonstrating rapid and growing participation among Portuguese consumers during the early stages of a system that represents a profound and structural change in habits.

The DRS is a nationwide infrastructure serving 11.5 million residents, 30 million tourists, 95,000 economic operators and 2.1 billion beverage containers. Full adoption involves a significant change in habits, which takes time, requires adaptation and calls for continuous improvement.

In response to the urban cleanliness issues reported in recent days in several municipalities, and recognising that these matters fall within the responsibilities of local authorities, SDR Portugal acknowledges the need for effective solutions and reiterates its willingness to continue working with municipalities, authorities and economic operators to strengthen the collection network and adapt collection solutions.

Isolated problems must be resolved quickly, but they cannot justify definitive conclusions about a public policy that has only recently been introduced and that has already reached the milestone of 100 million containers returned this week. volta is helping Portugal make progress towards meeting environmental targets, whose failure to be achieved has resulted in fines totalling €600 million over the past three years, paid through the State Budget.

Temporary disruptions to urban cleanliness, such as those recently reported, were also recorded during the initial implementation of deposit return systems in several European countries. These issues decreased as infrastructure expanded and citizens incorporated returning packaging into their daily habits. In Ireland, where the system was launched in February 2024, the collection rate has already exceeded 90%, while urban litter has fallen by 50%, according to a study promoted by a business association in the country.

Portugal was the 19th European Union country to adopt a system that has proven effective over several decades. The national network already includes more than 2,500 registered automated volta Collection Points in supermarkets and hypermarkets, including 521 in Greater Lisbon and 322 in Greater Porto. These are complemented by manual collection points and a network of 50 volta Kiosks across 38 municipalities, which are being installed progressively.

Expanding the network is essential in a country where approximately 54% of municipal waste still ends up in landfill, with many landfill sites under pressure as they approach maximum capacity. Portugal is required to achieve a separate collection rate of 90% for these beverage containers by 2029.

Contrary to what is sometimes suggested, volta does not use public funds.

The system is managed by SDR Portugal, a non-profit association licensed and supervised by the State. The investment of approximately €150 million in establishing the system, which included redesigning 2 billion beverage containers and providing countless hours of training to thousands of supermarket and hypermarket employees, was made by producers, packagers and distributors.

The system is financed by private entities, particularly producers, packagers and distributors, as well as revenue generated from collected materials and, in the future, unclaimed deposits, subject to State oversight.

Unclaimed deposits do not constitute profit for SDR Portugal or revenue for the State. They are reinvested in the operation and improvement of the system — including network expansion, maintenance, innovation and awareness campaigns — provided that collection targets are met. If these targets are not achieved, the unclaimed deposits are allocated in equal shares to the Environmental Fund and the Fund for the Promotion of Consumer Rights.

The DRS enables the separate collection of single-use beverage bottles and cans with a capacity of up to 3 litres, preventing contamination by other waste and preserving the quality required for a bottle to become a bottle again and a can to become a can again. This circularity transforms waste into resources with environmental and industrial value.

The implementation of volta will continue to require coordination, clear communication and the ability to address issues as they arise. SDR Portugal will continue to listen to municipalities, operators and consumers, strengthen infrastructure and introduce the necessary improvements.

The challenges associated with a change of this scale should not be ignored. However, they must not overshadow the essential achievement: in just over three months, Portuguese consumers have returned 100 million beverage containers. volta is working, habits are changing, and Portugal is recovering valuable resources that previously ended up all too often in general waste, on the streets, in the sea or in landfill.