Reverse vending machines are set to be more widely available in supermarket car parks in Ireland.

The Independent report that planning permission requirements to install the machines has been waived.

This means they will be more widely available for consumers to recycle aluminium cans and plastic bottles.

The changes will mean higher prices of between 15 and 25 cents on cans and bottles, but that is redeemable through the reverse vending machines.

“The scheme is likely to have huge public participation and the incentive of cash-back will help,” Junior Minister Ossian Smyth, the minister of state responsible for technology, told Independent.ie.

“People will also have the opportunity to gift their return deposit to charity – but given the large sums involved here, we will have to work hard on devising a fair and practical system of sharing this.

“A similar scheme has been in operation in Germany for about 20 years and the Green Party has been behind this idea for quite some time.

“It is a feature of daily life in Nordic countries for many decades.”

The project has already been piloted in 15 supermarkets across Ireland.