Behind Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme success

As Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) celebrated its second anniversary following its launch on 1 February 2024, the system continues to demonstrate how digital infrastructure is fundamental to operating a high-performing circular economy scheme at a national scale.

Since its launch, Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme has become one of Europe’s most efficiently operated deposit systems, supported by a comprehensive end-to-end IT solution delivered by Sensoneo, the technology partner to scheme operator Re-turn. Sensoneo’s platform manages the entire lifecycle of the scheme from product registration and container validation to transaction processing, clearing, and reporting, ensuring transparency, accuracy, and scalability across all stakeholders.

Ireland’s DRS in numbers

In under two years of operation, the scheme has reached major milestones:

• 3133 active collection points, serviced by 2,798 reverse vending machines (RVMs) and 960 manual return points.
• 12,197 registered products across PET plastic bottles and aluminium cans
• 2.4 billion containers collected via RVMs (2,404,991,012), approaching the 2.5 billion mark.
• 330 voluntary Return Point Operators, enabling organisations such as airports, offices, venues, museums, hotels, and community locations to collect containers and donate the deposit value to charitable causes.

These figures reflect strong public engagement — and the importance of a reliable IT backbone capable of processing billions of transactions while maintaining real-time visibility and system integrity.

IT is the foundation of scale and trust

From the outset, Ireland’s DRS was designed as a fully digital system. Sensoneo’s cloud-based platform integrates retailers, producers, RVM operators, logistics partners, and the scheme administrator into a single, centrally managed data ecosystem. The system enables real-time performance monitoring, automated clearing and settlement of deposits and handling fees, centralised product and barcode management, advanced fraud detection, and data-driven reporting for regulatory compliance and strategic decision-making. As the scheme scaled rapidly, this digital foundation proved critical in supporting operational stability, transparency, and public trust.

Extending access, including Ireland’s islands

As the scheme has matured, Re-turn has introduced targeted upgrades to improve accessibility and inclusivity. A key development has been the extension of the DRS to Ireland’s island communities, using tailored collection models that combine reverse vending machines with communal return solutions adapted to local conditions.

Early experience from these island deployments highlights strong community engagement and provides valuable operational insights. From a system perspective, the rollout demonstrates the importance of a flexible IT platform capable of supporting diverse return models — both manual and automated — and reliable data flows even in remote or infrastructure-constrained environments.

A strong partnership for long-term success

Close cooperation between Re-turn and Sensoneo has been central to the smooth operation of the scheme, building on a successful first year that positioned Ireland as a reference point for other countries preparing to launch or optimise deposit return systems.

“Sensoneo continue to be a flexible, valuable, and trusted partner working closely and collaboratively with us to develop and evolve the technology platform that underpins the operation of the scheme.  The success that Sensoneo continue to experience across Europe confirms that this partnership and technology have been the correct strategic decision for Re-turn.”

Alan Pearson, Chief Information Officer at Re-turn

“The Irish DRS shows that high collection performance is not only about infrastructure on the ground, but about the digital systems behind it,” said Martin Basila, CEO of Sensoneo. “Processing nearly 2.5 billion returned containers requires absolute reliability, accurate data, and seamless integration across all stakeholders. We are proud to support Re-turn and contribute to Ireland’s transition toward a more circular, data-driven economy.”

From launch to maturity

As Ireland’s Deposit Return Scheme moves from rollout into long-term operation, data and digitalisation will play an increasingly significant role — enabling optimisation of collection networks, smarter logistics, improved consumer experience, and measurable progress toward national recycling and circular economy targets.

Two years on, Ireland’s DRS continues to show how technology-led design can turn ambitious environmental policy into a system that works efficiently for consumers, businesses, and the environment alike.