One year after the approval received by the Knesset's Economics Committee to expand the deposit law, the extension will take effect tomorrow (Wednesday), according to which it will also be possible to recycle plastic and glass drinking bottles with a volume of one and a half liters or more to receive a deposit.
This is after the law has so far only applied to small bottles.
According to an economic estimate made about a year ago for the Ministry of Environmental Protection, then headed by MK Gila Gamliel (Likud), applying the deposit to one and a half liter bottles is also expected to directly save the public close to NIS 60 million a year. Significant to polluting beverage companies.
A girl throws a bottle at a plastic bottle collection facility, in Reut-Modiin, in 2020, Photo: Yehonatan Shaul
Despite the year that has passed since the committee's approval, the State of Israel arrives at the date of application of the law unprepared.
During Gamliel's tenure as Minister of Environmental Protection, support of up to NIS 100 million was approved for the purpose of placing automatic recycling machines in the public space, in order to make the recycling operation more accessible and efficient for the public.
"After long struggles against stakeholders who tried to stop us at all costs, the law on the deposit of large bottles came into force, and the public will be able to get their money back and recycle big," said MK Gamliel. "Israel joins a number of advanced countries Prevent the environmental hazard created by plastic bottles.
"I am sorry that the government did not properly prepare for the application of the historic law, and chose to give up the deployment of automatic recycling machines in public space."
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