Dutch local councils want a delay in plans to scrap deposits on plastic bottles, saying there are too many uncertainties about the replacement plans, Nos radio said on Saturday.

Radio programme Argos said it has seen a concept letter from the local authorities association VNG to the environment ministry calling for a halt. The councils say there is a lack of clarity about the way plastic will be collected for recycling and want to delay the move to January 2016.

The ministry signed a deal with the VNG in 2012 paving the way for the end to the current deposit system on plastic bottles. MPs will debate phasing out deposits again on June 18.

Costs

Research published early April by environmental research group CE Delft said the cost analysis for scrapping the deposit system was wrong and that some costs associated with collecting deposit bottles were ‘systematically increased’.

The drinks and packaging industry lobbied hard to have the deposit system on bottles bigger than 0.5 litres scrapped, saying there would be major cost advantages.

Environmental groups also opposed the plan, saying scrapping deposits will reduce the number of bottles being recycled.