#557 Follow the Bottles, Follow the Money

Host Niall Boylan sits down with John McGuirk (Gript) to untangle Ireland’s chaotic bottle return scheme. They dig into why the rollout has been such a mess, who’s actually making money, and what it means for ordinary people — from full recycling machines to piles of unclaimed deposits. Expect sharp takes, hard questions, and plenty of pushback.

In this episode Niall and John cover:

A quick explainer of how the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is supposed to work and why it hit trouble on launch day.

The numbers: how many containers have been returned so far, the system’s capture and overall recycling rates, and milestones reached since launch.

The money question: what happened to unredeemed deposits (tens of millions left unclaimed), what Re-turn reported in its 2024 accounts, and how those sums were handled.

Who’s benefitting — and who isn’t: clarifying the difference between the scheme operator (Deposit Return Scheme Ireland / Re-turn, a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee) and allegations that a private firm “made over €60m.” We unpack the facts and the accounting.

What needs to change: fixes for logistics, better public communication, and the political fallout.

Short teaser line to use on socials: “The bottle scheme is working — but who’s getting the cash? Niall Boylan asks John McGuirk to follow the money.”

Quick facts for the episode

Over 1.6 billion containers have been returned since the scheme launched.

The DRS directly captures about 76% of containers with an overall recycling rate around 91%.

Reports show €66.7m in deposits went unclaimed in the first year; Re-turn’s accounts note related VAT and financial flows linked to unredeemed deposits and operating costs.

Re-turn (Deposit Return Scheme Ireland) is incorporated as a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee and published a detailed 2024 annual report.