As some MPs propose to expand the collection of glass containers and include some jars in the deposit system, businesses say that such a proposal does not meet the market's potential.
The head of the company that administers the taromats, "Ozastast systemus administrius" (USAD), says that it is impossible to accept jars into the taromats, because they are not adapted for that.
"It wouldn't be possible. In no country are jars for mayonnaise or other food put (in taromats - BNS) (…) If it was possible and simple, it would have been done in some country, but for some reason it is not there," USAD head Gintaras Varnas said to BNS.
Rūta Vainienė, executive director of the Association of Lithuanian Trade Companies, says that the parliamentarians' proposal does not assess the possibilities of the deposit system, nor how the waste container system would work, in which millions of European Union (EU) funds have been invested.
"Once the glass is removed from that system, it is not clear how it will survive and whether it will be necessary to return the EU funds received for investments," R. Vainienė asserted to BNS.
She emphasized that only this year the system of plastic, glass and paper containers was handed over to the municipality. In addition, according to R. Vainienė, the deposit system is not only taromats, but also manual acceptance and handling of tare in small shops. Glasses would take up a lot of space in them.
At that time, the members of the Seimas claim that it is already necessary to think about how to expand the functions of taromats, when the old ones are renewed or new ones are purchased in the future.
A fix for expanding the taromat system The Seimas registered by Tomas Tomilinas Kęstutis Mažeika and Lukas Savickas, members of the "Vardan Lietuvos" Democratic faction. They offer to include jars of various food products in the deposit system - mayonnaise, sauces, jams, soups, pickled vegetables.
As K. Mažeika told BNS, such jars of 0,5-0,7 liters or even larger would fit in taromats: "We are only talking about food glass that would go back to recycling."
"Those who need containers are already complaining about the lack of raw materials and the lack of glass. Taromat would be a source, because people take out glass in containers once every six months and store them somewhere. This would be a motivation for them to return to the market," said the MP.
According to R. Vainienė, not all taromats crush glass bottles. She is convinced that even if the jars are accepted in taromats, some of them would still end up in the general municipal waste stream: "Part of the glass will have to be collected through the bells, because some of the glass will break and will not be accepted in the taromats."
According to K. Mazeika, if it is not possible to expand the deposit system, it is necessary to prepare in advance to do so in a few years, because some taromats will soon need to be renewed.
"There is not much time left when they need to be repaired and replaced. During the reconstruction, it would be possible to change or adapt the most comfortable ones and to fit all the containers that could be added", K. Mažeika told BNS.
At that time, G. Varnas asserts that taromats will not need to be changed soon, because the experience of other countries shows that they work for 10-15 years or even longer. According to him, Lithuania, where the deposit system started operating in 2016, has purchased the most modern taromats.
"We have the most modern fleet of taromats, compared to those countries that implemented the deposit system before us, we will use them longer than until 2026 - we have already discussed this issue with the manufacturer of taromats," the USAD manager asserted.
According to him, none of the taromats have worn out or broken down so far.
USAD's eight-month results show a 91 percent return. of packages released to the market - more than a percentage point more than last year at the same time.
The author is Sniegė Balčiūnaitė
