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Israel: a deposit statement on bottles, not a national recycling logo
Israel requires covered beverage containers to be marked, clearly and indelibly, with a deposit statement and the refund amount. Packaging producers and importers also have extended producer-responsibility duties. There is no universal government recycling logo for ordinary packaging. The deposit marking is a statutory legend, not a German-style security mark.
The question this report answers
Israel imposes a direct on-pack requirement on beverage containers covered by the Deposit on Beverage Containers Law. The container must be clearly and indelibly marked to indicate that a deposit applies, and must state the deposit amount. The statutory minimum is 30 agorot. Since 1 December 2021 the system has included larger beverage containers, producing a general capacity range from 0.1 to five litres, subject to statutory exclusions including bags, predominantly paper or cardboard containers, and milk or milk-product containers. Selling an unmarked covered container is prohibited.
The deposit marking obligation is distinct from the Packaging Treatment Law, which establishes extended producer responsibility for packaging more broadly. Producers and importers must meet collection, recovery, recycling and reporting obligations, usually through a recognised body. Those EPR duties do not create one compulsory recycling logo for every package. A voluntary collection or scheme mark should therefore not be described as a universal legal label. Hebrew legislation and regulations control over this English-language account.
Legal status at a glance
| Requirement | Status | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit statement | mandatory | Covered beverage containers must be clearly and indelibly marked to indicate that a deposit applies. |
| Deposit amount | mandatory | The package must state the applicable refund amount. The statutory minimum is 30 agorot. |
| Packaging EPR | mandatory | Manufacturers and importers of packaged products must discharge recovery and recycling duties under the Packaging Law. |
| Universal Israeli recycling logo | none | EPR participation and deposit marking do not create one mandatory sorting symbol for every package. |
What the Deposit Law puts on the container
The Deposit Law applies to a beverage container as defined by the statute, generally from 0.1 to five litres. The definition excludes a bag and a container made mainly of paper or cardboard, and the law excludes milk and milk products. Product classification should be confirmed against the current Hebrew text, because beverage type, construction and capacity determine whether the deposit duty applies. The 2001 regulations govern the form of the marking. The current Hebrew wording and format from the official requirements are the text that appears. Legibility on curved or transparent surfaces, and the risk that an imported over-label detaches or obscures mandatory product information, are part of whether the statutory “clear and indelible” test is met.
Manufacturers and importers are responsible for compliant covered containers and deposit-system obligations. Retailers must accept eligible containers and refund deposits in the circumstances set by the law, subject to statutory rules and exceptions. The mark represents a legally available refund route, not a technical assessment of recyclability. Deposit recovery, collection and recycling results should be documented separately from consumer claims about the container’s material or environmental performance.
The Packaging Law is a different duty
The Packaging Treatment Law 2011 applies extended producer responsibility to manufacturers and importers of packaged products and service packaging. Obligated businesses must meet recovery and recycling targets, report quantities and conclude arrangements with a recognised body unless an approved alternative applies. The EPR obligation can exist even when the product is outside the beverage deposit system. Membership in an EPR body does not automatically authorise an on-pack environmental claim. Any controlled logo depends on the operator’s licence or contract, and its meaning should be stated accurately. A financing mark is not proof that the individual package is accepted in every local collection stream.
Environmental representations are governed by general consumer-protection and advertising principles. Claims about recyclability, recycled content or biodegradability should identify the relevant package component and be supported by evidence appropriate to Israeli infrastructure and disposal conditions. A mandatory deposit statement should not be surrounded by imagery that suggests broader environmental benefits without substantiation. The Ministry of Environmental Protection administers the deposit and packaging EPR frameworks, with additional consumer enforcement available under other legislation. Statutory measures can address unmarked containers, failures to collect or refund deposits, and EPR non-compliance. The precise responsible person and sanction depend on the provision breached.
Primary sources and verification
Israel. Deposit on Beverage Containers Law, 1999. Knesset legislation database
Israel. Deposit on Beverage Containers Regulations, 2001. Official PDF
Israel. Law for Regulation of the Treatment of Packaging, 2011. Knesset legislation database
Ministry of Environmental Protection. Extended producer responsibility overview. Government guidance
Hebrew legislation and regulations control over this English-language summary. Last verified: 21 August 2026.