• Campus
  • 23/06/2021

Deposit on plastic bottles in canteens and vending machines on campus

The Dutch government announced a 15-cent deposit on small PET bottles that will come into effect on July 1. Caterer Appèl decided to offer customers discount on a next purchase when they return a bottle, but also gives them a chance to donate the deposit to the Plastic Soup Foundation. From September 6, the canteens in Flux, Gemini, Helix and Vertigo will also reopen.

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photo gualtiero boffi / shutterstock

The Dutch government introduced a deposit system for small plastic bottles that will come into effect on July 1. A 15-cent deposit will be added to small bottles with a deposit logo.

Bottles can be returned at train station kiosks, manned highway gas stations, supermarkets and at every single Appèl catering location on the TU/e campus. As of July 1, PET bottles can be returned at catering locations in MetaForum and Atlas, and this will also become possible as of September 6 in Flux, Gemini, Helix and Vertigo.

Appèl will collect the PET bottles in two ways: discount on a new purchase and donation to charity. Customers can get a 15-cent discount on a new purchase when they return a bottle. Customers who don’t want to buy anything but who still want to return their bottles won’t get their money back. Instead, Appèl will donate the deposit to charity. Appèl decided to donate the deposit money to the Plastic Soup Foundation, the organization that wants to stop the plastic soup tsunami as soon as possible. You can also return bottles from vending machines, managed by Maas, at Appèl’s canteens.

Two variants temporarily

As of next week, the vending machines managed by Maas will contain deposit bottles (recognizable by the logo on the bottle) university wide, except for the vending machine on the first floor of MetaForum. This is the only machine to contain PET bottles without deposit, until the bottles are all sold.

How long will you encounter the old variant? Illustration | stichting Statiegeld Nederland

It’s important that people carefully scan the barcode and the deposit logo on the bottle label when they return the small plastic bottles. It would also be nice if the cap is still attached to the bottles, because the cap can also be recycled. In addition, the bottle needs to be undamaged.

It’s possible that older variants of the plastic PET bottles will be in circulation temporarily. These still belong in the plastic waste bin.

It is currently not known when SPAR university in Luna will open its doors again.

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