As much as 90% of returnable cans come back

According to a survey carried out by Suomen Palautuspakkaus (PALPA), which administers the recycling of beverage packages and promotes recycling in Finland, the Finns have been very diligent in returning their empty bottles and cans.
      The prospect of collecting a few cents on empties means they are not thrown away carelessly or tossed in the rubbish at home, but taken back the next time people go to the supermarket.
     
The greatest single reason to leave a bottle or can where it has been dropped is when you know it will be picked up by a collector who will then take it back himself. This is much more likely to happen when out in the park, or for example when crowds gather for football matches (outside the stadium - inside is "dry" for security reasons) or at rock concerts.
     
The numbers do add up to something much more than loose change: according to PALPA, cans alone were returned for recycling to the tune of roughly EUR 52 million in 2006.
      The return rate on refillable glass and plastic bottles is an impressive 98%, and for cans 90%. This compares very favourably with other European countries, where the return rates can be as low as 35% in Greece, France, and the UK.
     
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 1.8.2009
     

More on this subject:
 Bottle collectors do battle in Helsinki parks
 Have you got the bottle for it?

Links:
  Deposit bottles and cans
  PALPA, Suomen Palautuspakkaus Oy
  "The best recycling system in the world" (.pdf file)