Deputy First Minister And Cabinet Secretary For Climate Change
And Rural Affairs, : On 18 November 2024, I announced the next
steps in developing a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for Wales. That
announcement set out how we would work to implement a scheme that
delivers for Wales - for our environment, our economy and our
communities for decades to come. Today, I am pleased to be
announcing the next key step in Wales' DRS journey as we commence
the process to appoint a Deposit Management Organisation (DMO) to
run our scheme.
Following my statement last year, we have undertaken extensive
engagement with a wide range of businesses, representative
organisations, individual sectors, recycling and reuse
organisations, the Welsh Local Government Association and
environmental organisations to inform our approach. As outlined
in my statement in July, this engagement highlighted industry's
strong preference for aligning the implementation dates for the
Deposit Return Schemes within the UK. It also highlighted the
need for a phased approach to glass and the introduction of reuse
to manage the difference in the scope of Deposit Return Schemes,
caused by the previous UK Government.
As a result, we have made adaptations to the scheme that will
both ensure we can bring forward a DRS that delivers clear
benefit to Wales, by supporting the transition to reuse and
building upon our world class recycling, whilst also taking a
pragmatic, phased approach on glass and reuse to ensure
interoperability within the UK. These changes will also avoid the
significant risks and impacts that industry have outlined would
result in the scenario where Deposit Return Schemes are
implemented within the other nations but not in Wales.
We have accelerated the development of our scheme in response to
the call from industry. As part of this, we have also listened
carefully to their calls to commence the process to appoint the
DMO as early as possible. This will provide the maximum time
available for the implementation of the scheme following the
DMO's appointment. I am therefore very pleased to announce that
the application process for the DMO will open tomorrow (Friday 28
November), with the deadline for applications being Friday 23
January 2026. The commencement of the application process is
being done in parallel with the work to bring forward the
regulations, which will be laid before the Senedd in February
next year. Subject to the DRS Regulations being approved by the
Senedd, the successful applicant can then be appointed by the
Welsh Ministers from March 2026. This approach mirrors that taken
by the UK Government in the development of their regulations and
appointment of the DMO for England.
With Wales already amongst the world's best recyclers, it is
vital that we draw from the world's best schemes to ensure DRS
will build on our already high recycling performance. With the
best schemes internationally already delivering reuse at scale,
the ability to support the transition to reuse and move
Beyond Recycling is central to our scheme and essential
to delivering added value for Wales. Reusing materials through a
DRS reduces the need to extract raw materials, supports
containers to be used multiple times over and can therefore
support producers to be more resource efficient, whilst also
reducing litter and carbon emissions and saving energy.
Reuse is not just good for the environment; it is also an
economic opportunity that can reduce costs for producers, create
new green jobs, strengthen supply chain resilience and bring the
opportunity to retain greater economic added value within Wales
and the rest of the UK. It can also help contribute to lower
living costs and reduced inequality.
We have agreed to a phased approach to reuse in the scheme and
committed to undertaking a further public consultation to inform
our approach. This consultation closed on 10 November 2025, and
the responses will help to shape the approach to the phasing in
of reuse as a core part of the scheme.
Lastly, I want to also acknowledge the feedback from industry on
the importance of ensuring there is clarity of law and certainty
for businesses. This is crucial to the effective operation of all
Deposit Return Schemes across the UK. The Welsh Government has
therefore formally proposed an exclusion for the Deposit Return
Scheme in Wales to the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020
(UKIMA), noting that the scope of the scheme is fully within
devolved competence. We have also been clear that should that
exclusion as requested not be agreed, this would lead to the
scenario where there would be no DRS in Wales, and as such an
exclusion would be required for the schemes in other nations.
With the completion of the WTO notification process on 16
November and the start of the DMO appointment process, we have
reached another major milestone in bringing forward a DRS that
delivers for Wales. A DRS which will not only bring forward clear
environmental benefits but will also bring economic opportunities
for green growth whilst supporting our transition to a zero-waste
and net zero Wales. By continuing to work collaboratively, we can
implement a scheme that benefits our citizens, supports the
economy and in turn your organisations, and the improves our
environment for our future generations .
