In Jamaica, recuperation of PET bottles from the waste stream for processing and export to be recycled is currently estimated to be five to ten percent. A recent study by the Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CAPRI), which assessed various measures for PET waste management, recommended that a deposit-refund system (DRS) be considered to increase recuperation, and improve management, of PET waste in Jamaica. DRS have two key benefits. They increase the rate of recuperation, and thus recycling, of containers covered by the deposit scheme, as the deposit provides an incentive to the consumer to return the material to obtain their refund. Second, they reduce litter of the targeted material, since in the case that the consumer does decide to litter, someone else more desirous of getting the refund may pick it up. Both benefits hinge on the level of deposit/refund applied.
