Paddle UK Urges Government to Include Glass in Deposit Return Scheme

With one month to go, Paddle UK is gearing up for The Big Paddle Cleanup 2026 – a two-week event dedicated to cleaning up our nation’s waterways.

Individual paddlers, clubs, and other volunteers from all over England will take to canals, rivers and the sea, to collect plastic waste and other junk.

Since its inception in 2022, volunteers have retrieved 8,000 glass bottles from the water.

That’s why we are urging the government to rethink the exclusion of glass bottles and jars from the upcoming Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).

The Big Paddle Cleanup 2026 will run from 23 May to 7 June, acting as a reminder of the importance of keeping our waterways clean and mitigating the impact of pollution on wildlife.

Chantelle Grundy, Access and Environment Manager, said, “Thousands of volunteers make a huge difference to our waterways, and we’re so proud and grateful for their efforts.

“Glass bottles in rivers pose a danger, and volunteers have collectively retrieved 8,000 since 2022.

“Broken glass is a hazard to animals and people, causing cuts to pets, wildlife, and swimmers.

“Paddle UK is disappointed by the exclusion of glass from the DRS and would like the government to rethink this decision.”

The two weeks of action will once again be supported by Decathlon and Sportscover Europe.

The campaign followed a record-breaking 2025, when 4,228 volunteers – over 500 more than the previous year – participated.

These individuals, clubs, delivery partners, and community groups spent about 8,130 hours on our precious waterways across the country, filling 2,129 sacks of rubbish from canals and rivers.

Volunteers collected 6,851 plastic bottles, 4,059 cans, 10,804 food wrappers, and 2,013 glass bottles.

The UK’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers (https://defraenvironment.blog.gov.uk/2025/01/31/introducing-the-deposit-return-scheme-for-drinks-containers/) will begin on 1 October 2027 across England.

The scheme will introduce a small, refundable deposit on plastic (PET) bottles and metal cans (150ml–3L), aiming to increase recycling and reduce litter.

The Big Paddle Cleanup continues to draw high-profile support, with Olympians, including Adam Burgess, and the Paracanoe team – including Paralympic gold medal winners Charlotte Henshaw MBE and Emma Wiggs MBE, and silver medalist Jack Eyers – all having taken part in previous years.