How bottle deposit systems work when traveling
If you are out and about and like to use plastic bottles, you don’t have to go without them. Drinks in PET bottles are available all over the world and can be disposed of almost anywhere in public collection containers or handed in at retailers. In addition, many countries have their own deposit systems or are currently introducing them, such as Austria from 2025. Plastic is also fantastic: in Rome and Istanbul, you can even exchange used plastic bottles for bus and train tickets. Even dog food. Meanwhile, France is emphasizing entertainment.
They hardly weigh anything and don’t break: PET bottles are the ideal travel companions. Whether traveling at home or abroad plastic – bottles are available worldwide, easy to transport, easy to store and easy to dispose of locally. Returning plastic bottles is not just about sustainability, but also about creativity.
Garbage can and deposit system
Most vacation destinations have containers where travelers can dispose of their used plastic bottles in an environmentally friendly way. In addition, many regions have a deposit system like the German system, such as Scandinavia, the Netherlands or Croatia. Even in the distant South Sea paradise of Hawaii. There, a beverage deposit of 5 cents is charged for each plastic bottle, which is returned to the so-called Beverage Container Redemption Centers, i.e., the regional collection points. Austria will introduce a deposit of 0.25 euros per single-use plastic bottle from 2025. Other countries, such as Italy and Spain, do not yet have a deposit system, nor do Türkiye or France.
Environmentally friendly and fun
But when it comes to disposing of plastic bottles, these countries are extremely creative. In French supermarkets, for example, there are machines called „B:Bot“. The elegantly designed machines, pronounced „Bibotte“, take plastic bottles and immediately shred them into sparkling, recyclable minishreds. The highlight of this process shows why „plastic is fantastic“: the entire process takes place behind a glass pane through which the spectacle can be observed, which is particularly fascinating for children. On top of this, there is a reward for the plastic flakes handed in, which the retailer determines himself, for example in the form of vouchers or raffle tickets.
Tickets and dog food
In Rome, the „+Ricicli +Viaggi“ project allows used plastic bottles to be exchanged for bus and train tickets. The initiative received an award for innovation in politics from the Vienna-based organization „The Innovation in Politics Institute“ in 2022. The same machines can also be found in Istanbul, Türkiye, and the metropolis also has another waste disposal attraction: An Automat that does not give out a deposit voucher when plastic bottles are returned, but dry dog food, specially designed for the city’s stray dogs.
Valuable and reusable
Finally, anyone traveling to poorer regions of the world could donate their empty plastic bottles to the locals. For example, collectors in rural parts of Mexico can hand in PET bottles to the recycling companies IMER and PLANETA for a fee. The Plastic Bank also exchanges return bottles for money or services. In Nigeria, there is even a school that accepts used plastic bottles as school fees from parents.
Deposit systems and creative return options help highlight the material value of plastic bottles and encourage proper disposal. And they are easy to recycle – either thermally into fresh energy or materially into new products. However, sustainability also starts at the beginning of their life journey: Even during production and transportation, plastic bottles save a lot of energy and emissions compared to glass containers or metal cans due to their low melting point and low weight.
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