Will flattened bottles and cans be accepted in DRS?

A listener asked whether crushed cans collected during litter picks will still qualify for a deposit return. In most cases, if a can is too damaged for the barcode to be read, you won't get the deposit back, although some manual return points may have discretion. Rejected containers should still be recyclable, and donation options could help ensure deposits still support good causes rather than encouraging people to search through bins.

This episode of Recycled Content, is the 'Rubbish Question' from episode 97 of Talking Rubbish, which first aired on 4th June 2026.

While every effort has been made to provide the most accurate information, recycling guidance changes quickly and some advice may become outdated over time. Always check with your local council for the rules that apply to recycling in your area. On the main Talking Rubbish podcast, we include an additions and corrections section where we update anything we may have got wrong.

These clips come from the weekly show, Talking Rubbish - The Recycling Podcast

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