Panaji, July 3, 2026: Goa’s Deposit Refund Scheme will come into force from September 1, 2026, with its first phase covering liquor and liquor-based products packed in glass, plastic, metal and multi-layered packaging. All alcohol manufacturers, importers, bottling plants and brands selling in Goa must register with the DRS Authority by July 31 failing which they will not be permitted to place products in the Goa market from September 1 onwards, said Sachin Desai, Member Convener of the Goa DRS Authority.
What is a Deposit Refund Scheme?
A Deposit Refund Scheme is a waste management mechanism used by governments to improve the collection and recycling of beverage packaging. When a consumer buys a bottled or canned drink, they pay a small refundable deposit on top of the product price. When the empty container is returned to a designated collection point, the deposit is refunded in full. The scheme creates a direct financial incentive for consumers to return empty packaging rather than discard it, improving recovery rates for materials such as glass, plastic, aluminium and metal. The returned containers are then channelled back into recycling or reuse systems. DRS is widely used across Europe and North America Germany, Norway, Sweden and several US states operate mature systems with consistently high container return rates. In Goa, Reverse Vending Machines using QR-based identification will serve as the primary return points, allowing consumers to scan and deposit empty containers in exchange for their refund.
More than 65 per cent of Goa’s 191 panchayats have already issued no-objection certificates for RVM installation, as have four urban local bodies. In the run-up to the September launch, the DRS Authority has been conducting statewide outreach with live demonstrations across panchayats in Canacona, Bicholim, Pernem, Tiswadi and Bardez, introducing residents and elected representatives to how the machines work. Community response during sessions has been described as enthusiastic, with residents operating the RVMs themselves and raising queries about QR codes, waste collection and transportation.
Vilas Morje, Sarpanch of Morjim Panchayat, said: “The installation of the DRS machine is an important step towards addressing the waste management challenges faced by our village.”
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The Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Goa State Industries Association have raised concerns about the scheme’s feasibility, citing inadequate infrastructure, over-dependence on a single vendor and the financial burden it could place on consumers and small businesses. The Waste Management Association Goa has separately called on the government to first ban single-use plastic in the state, and has said the focus should shift from glass bottles and PET to multi-layered plastic and sanitary waste.
For the alco-bev industry, the July 31 registration deadline is immediate and non-negotiable. Brands that miss it risk being unable to sell in Goa from September 1 a commercially significant market given its high per-capita alcohol consumption and large tourist footfall. Goa becomes one of the first Indian states to apply a formal deposit-refund mechanism specifically to liquor packaging, a move being watched closely by industry stakeholders and state governments across the country.
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