Sweden’s DRS hits record 2.8B beverage containers recycled in 2024

SWEDEN – Sweden’s Deposit Return System (DRS) has achieved a new milestone in 2024, with more than 2.8 billion PET bottles and aluminium cans returned for recycling—a nearly 6% increase from the previous year.

Operated by nonprofit Returpack/Pantamera, the system now sees an average of 271 containers recycled per person, underscoring the country’s deeply rooted recycling culture.

Introduced over 40 years ago, the Swedish DRS is considered one of the most effective in the world, thanks to strong collaboration between beverage producers, retailers, waste authorities, and consumers.

Reverse vending machines are widely accessible in supermarkets and shops, and the deposit refund, ranging between 1 and 2 SEK per container, encourages participation.

The system is built on closed-loop recycling, ensuring collected PET and aluminium are turned back into new bottles and cans rather than being downcycled into lower-quality materials.

This approach helps maintain material value while significantly reducing environmental impact.

In 2024 alone, the DRS helped prevent more than 180,000 metric tonnes of CO₂ emissions, equivalent to the annual emissions of a medium-sized Swedish city.

“In the DRS, PET bottles and aluminium cans stay in a closed recycling loop, which is crucial for achieving true circularity,” said Sara Bergendorff, Head of Sustainability and Quality at Returpack/Pantamera.

“Unlike standard recycling, the deposit system keeps valuable materials in continuous use for their original purpose.”

Despite its success, the system’s return rate of 87.6% remains just shy of the 90% target set under EU recycling goals.

To help close this gap, the government has approved a deposit increase effective January 2025, aimed at further encouraging returns and reducing waste.

Bergendorff describes the act of returning containers as “Sweden’s smallest climate action”, highlighting the ease with which citizens can contribute to environmental goals.

Beyond the DRS, Sweden leads globally in waste management, diverting over 99% of household waste from landfills. Recycling education starts early in schools, and municipalities provide clear guidance, reinforcing a national culture of sustainability.

As more countries adopt similar systems, Sweden’s model stands as a proven blueprint for how policy, infrastructure, and public commitment can drive real environmental change.

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