Green Party leader Eamon Ryan wants to give people 20 cents a can for returning their empties.
The Environment Minister is proposing to give money for old tin in a bid to boost recycling numbers.
The deposit return scheme would see consumers able to bring back empty aluminium cans or plastic bottles.
And it could be as easy as popping them into a special vending machine and collecting cash.
Mr Ryan has launched a public consultation process to get feedback from punters and the industry before introducing the new scheme.
He said: “If we are to get the benefits of a circular economy we need to adapt our approach to how we use and manage our resources.
“We must strive to keep resources in circulation for as long as possible and the introduction of a DRS is a first step in this as we need to collect and recycle more plastic bottles and aluminium cans.
“It will also help to reduce litter and will ensure we meet the EU targets which are coming down the tracks. This consultation paper is the first step in this process and I hope interested stakeholders and members of the public take the time to consider the issues around DRS and support its introduction.”
Deposit return schemes have been around for decades and were originally designed by the drinks companies as a way of ensuring the return of bottles so they could be washed, refilled and resold.
In the new scheme a refundable deposit will apply to beverage containers to incentivise consumers to return them. The public consultation paper suggests a sum of €0.20.
A department spokesman said: “The primary function of a DRS is to increase recycling rates and support the circular economy by keeping materials in productive use and reducing demand for new materials.
“They have also been shown to assist in the reduction of littering of beverage containers.”
