5 min.
Denmark has a unique collection system that saves CO2
Text
Karen Gahrn
Photo:
Erik Nylund
1. The production
The bottle is produced and sold to a beverage manufacturer, who fills the bottle, prints a label with a GS1 barcode on and register it with the Danish Returns System.
2. The sale
The bottle is sold to the store, where a thirsty consumer is tempted and puts the bottle in their shopping cart. The barcode is used when the consumer pays. At the same time, a mortgage is paid for the bottle.
3. The Passing
The empty bottle will be returned at Dansk Retursystem's bottle vending machine. Here, the barcode, the pledge mark and the shape of the bottle are scanned (to prevent cheating with pledge marks).
4. The registration
Once the bottle is run through the vending machine, it is divided based on its barcode and sorted into a vat (if it's plastic bottles or cans) or out onto a table (if it's glass bottles).
5. The count
Since all bottles are registered through a barcode in the return machine, the Danish Return System knows exacly how many bottles and cans have been returned in the return vending machine, and therefore also how many they have to pick up.
6th. The Pickup
The driver from Dansk Retursystem picks up the bottles and cans and drives them to one of Dansk Retursystem's two factories, where they are sorted by material type (plastic, aluminium and glass) before being sent for recycling.
7. The Rebirth
Aluminum, plastic and glass are melted into new cans and bottles — and their lives begin anew.
INSPIRATION ABROAD
As a Dane, it is easy to forget that the Danish Return System at its founding was one of the first of its kind in the world. Over two decades later, it is still easy to forget that a return system is yet to be found in many of our neighboring countries.
GS1 Denmark feels the growing demand for reverse mortgage systems when GS1's sister offices contact GS1 Denmark for knowledge and sparring. For example, the Turkish Ministry of Environment has asked GS1 Turkey to map out how GS1 Standards supports the return system in Denmark, with intent to establish a similar system.
