Regional Project Advance Recovery Fees and Deposits

Advance Recovery Fees and Deposits (Also known as: Container Deposits, Beverage Deposits, Bottle Bills, Extended Producer/Importer Responsibility, Product Stewardship, Sustainable Financing, Waste Levy, Advance Disposal Fees)

Palau, Kiribati, FSM states, RMI, and Tuvalu have systems in place. From the success of these systems, other countries in the Pacific are looking to ARFD systems as a solution to provide the funding mechanism to collect and process recyclable materials.
Also known as Container Deposits, Beverage Deposits, Bottle Bills, Extended Producer/Importer Responsibility, Product Stewardship, Sustainable Financing, Waste Levy, Advance Disposal Fees.

By design, Advance Recovery Fee and Deposit (ARFD) systems provide a regular funding mechanism to enable the collection and export of recyclable items. When target items are imported, a small fee and deposit are applied – the “fee” providing recycling agencies with a sustainable income to fund recycling activities, and the “deposit” providing an incentive for consumers to return products to a recycling collection point (and be refunded their deposit). Palau, Kiribati, FSM states, RMI, and Tuvalu have systems in place. From the success of these systems, other countries in the Pacific are looking to ARFD systems as a solution to provide the funding mechanism to collect and process recyclable materials.

The purpose of this regional project is to raise awareness of Advance Recovery Fees and Deposits (ARDF) systems; and to provide resources and raise the capacity of Pacific Island countries to enable informed evidence-based decisions on the 21-step Pathway for the design and implementation of a successful ARDF system, considering the context of each country. The Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu have chosen ARDF as a priority or secondary priority of their PacWastePlus country project. Kiribati*, Nauru, and RMI* are also utilising PacWastePlus legislative support outside the Country Projects (KRA 2).

* Expanding the scheme beyond beverage containers

What will the project do?

The ARFD Regional Project will utilise existing ARFD schemes and findings and resources from Country Projects to:

• Review and undertake a detailed legislative assessment of existing Sustainable Finance Systems in the region (inc Aust & other SIDS).
• Using findings from KRA2 Feasibility Studies and other resources, develop a practical hands-on “Design it Yourself” Workbook to guide countries through the 21-step Pathway
• Develop and deliver ARFD Design Training Modules to guide completion of the “Design it Yourself” workbook.