Deposit return system in Slovakia

“Správca zálohového systému, n.o.” (Deposit return system Administrator) is newly established non-profit organization responsible for creation, administration, financing and coordination of deposit system in Slovakia.

The Slovak Ministry of the Environment officially commissioned Consortium of 4 associations of beverage producers & retailers, namely AVNM, SZVPS, SAMO and ZOSR, to establish a central DRS Administrator for Slovakia. Their members altogether represent almost 80 % of all drink containers placed on the market and more than 3,000 retail stores in Slovakia.

AVNN
SAMO

The cooperation of beverage producers and retailers ensures:

  • better transparency of the system,
  • better mutual control and coordination,
  • common interest in smooth, economic and environmentally sustainable operation of a system that is consumer-friendly and meets collection goals.

Why is Slovakia doing this

With the introduction of the deposit return system, we start to write a new story about Slovakia. We have a chance to become a country without litter from PET bottles and cans. PET bottles and cans are not useless waste! These are valuable materials whose recycling makes sense.

Slovakia has committed itself to increase the current collection of beverage containers from 60 % to 90 % in 2025. It has chosen a deposit return system that combines the efforts of producers, retailers, consumers and the state on behalf of the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic. This system gives a chance to collect more higher quality material for recycling and reuse in new containers, reduce visible source of litter and save natural resources.

How the deposit return systems works

Producers will register their drink containers with Deposit return system Administrator, they will pay deposit and fee for every drink container placed on market.
Producer charges price + deposit for each container sold.
Retailer charges deposit upon sale, regaining their deposit back.
Consumer return the drink container to retailer, who will pay him back the deposit.
Retailer returns the collected containers to Administrator, who will pay him back the deposit together with a handling fee, in return for handling the containers.
Administrator ensure the inspection, counting, transport and processing of containers.
The collected material will be transported to recycler.
The recycler processes the material. Afterwards producers are able to use recycled material to make new bottles and cans.

Basic principles of the system:

  • fulfillment of statutory goals and obligations,
  • economy as a key aspect of the functioning of the system „value for money“,
  • consumer friendliness,
  • transparency and non-discriminatory access,
  • compliance with the requirements arising from EU legislation = higher collection rate, increasing the share of recycled content in new drink containers,
  • supporting circular economy, closing the loop with "bottle-to-bottle" and "can-to-can" recycling.

Find out more

This site will be continuously updated to provide all relevant information about the deposit return system to consumers, producers, wholesalers and retailers.

Frequently asked questions

What are the benefits of deposit return system?

Deposit return system is a tool of extended producer responsibility that can increase the amount of collected PET bottles and cans to more than 90 %, support recycling and contribute on reducing the amount of litter in nature.

Which drink containers will be included in the deposit return system?

System includes all disposable containers from plastic (bottles) and metal (cans) with a volume of 0.1 to 3 l inclusive, with the exception of milk, syrups and hard liquor (more than 15 %).

Which drinks will be included in the deposit return system?

For the purposes of the law, "liquid foodstuffs containing more than 80 % of water capable of satisfying the physiological need for water, do not include milk". This definition includes all ready to drinks such as carbonated soft drinks, non-carbonated soft drinks, mineral waters, spring waters, baby waters, flavored waters, fruit juices, nectars, fruit drinks, iced teas, sports drinks, energy drinks, beer, cider, perry, radler and fruit wine.

How much will be the deposit amount?

Deposit will be the same for PET bottles and cans, 15 eurocents.

When will the deposit return system start?

From 1. 1. 2022.

What will be the transition period?

Single-use beverage containers, which are subject to the obligation under § 3 par. 1 and which do not meet the requirements under this Act, may be placed on the market until 31 December 2021 or distributed until 30 June 2022.

Who will operate the deposit return scheme?

Deposit return system Administrator is a non-profit organization founded by a consortium of 4 entities - AVNM, SZVPS, SAMO and ZOSR, which represent producers of soft drinks and mineral waters, beer producers and representatives of wholesale and retail.

Who is Deposit return system Administrator?

Deposit return system Administrator is a new non-profit organization providing services of general interest based on a mandate issued by the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic.

What are the bodies of the Deposit return Administrator?

The bodies of the Deposit return Administrator are the Board of Directors, the Director and the Supervisory Board. The members of the bodies were nominated by the founding associations and the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic.

How will be the scheme funded?

It is anticipated that the scheme will be paid for through producer fees, revenue from the sale of materials and unredeemed deposits.

Who will regulate and control deposit return system?

Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic.

Who is the producer?

The producer of beverage containers is a producer of drink containers according to a special regulation (Section 52, Paragraph 11 of Act No. 79/2015 Codex), which places beverages on the market in single-use beverage packaging on which a deposit is due.

Who is the retailer/distributor?

The distributor of beverage containers is the distributor of beverage containers according to a special regulation (Section 52, Paragraph 14 of Act No. 79/2015 Codex), which distributes drinks in single-use beverage packaging on which a deposit is due.

How is the contract with the Deposit return System Administrator concluded?

The producer is obliged to request the Administrator to conclude a contract on the fulfillment of obligations under the law within 60 days from the notice of the commencement of the Administrator's operation. The distributor is obliged to ask the Administrator to conclude a contract on the fulfillment of obligations within 60 days from the delivery of the notice of commencement of Administrator's operation, if he is interested in registering as a collection point, by legal obligation or voluntarily. In case of a request for concluding of contract with Administrator, please contact us on registracia@spravcazaloh.sk.

Who can be registered as a collection point?

A drink containers distributor who sells beverages to the end user-consumers in a sales area of at least 300 m2, with the exception of a drink container distributor who sells food and beverages as supplementary goods (such as drugstores) in such a sales area. These obligations may be fulfilled voluntarily by a drink containers distributor who sells beverages in a sales area of less than 300 m2.

How the materials will be recycled?

The priority of the Deposit return system Administrator will be to support the recycling of the collected material and its subsequent use for the same purpose for which it was originally produced. The administrator adheres to the principles of the circular economy and promotes recycling from bottle to bottle and from can to can. This will create an opportunity for producers in Slovakia, to meet their legal obligations and voluntary commitments.

Where can I find the basic rules of operation of the Deposit return system?

You can find basic information in the Act on the deposit return of disposable packaging of 11 September 2019, in the Decree of the Ministry of the Environment of 14 October 2019 and in the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019.

Contact

In case of any questions please feel free to contact us on info@spravcazaloh.sk.

Press contacts: press@spravcazaloh.sk

In case of a request for concluding of contract with Administrator, please contact us on registracia@spravcazaloh.sk or on our correspondence address.

Office:
Správca zálohového systému n.o.
Pluhová 192/2
Bratislava 831 03

Correspondence address:
Správca zálohového systému n.o.
Ivanská cesta 30/B (Budova Aircraft)
Bratislava 821 04