Illustrative stock photo (source: SME)
When images of Bodva River polluted by plastic bottles emerged three years ago, it reignited Slovak discourse on what to do with plastic waste.
The problem of a polluted environment was no longer something that was just a concern for distant sunny shores, but something that could now be observed by Slovaks.
The debate over whether people should have to pay a deposit fee for plastic bottles similar to those on glass bottles has appeared in mainstream Slovak discussions at regular intervals. However, it always ended with the sentiment that having people recycle bottles individually rather than having them return bottles to vendors is the path that Slovaks have chosen and will stay on.
That didn’t stop the Environment Ministry from proposing a new law; one that would require people to pay a deposit when purchasing goods stored in plastic bottles and tin cans.
This is similar to a system in place for glass bottles, where customers who buy beverages stored in glass bottles pay a deposit as part of the good’s cost and that money is reimbursed when they return the bottle.
The start date for the legislation was set to 2022, meaning that bottles will start being returned from January of that year.
