Tasmania is set to launch a long-awaited new container refund scheme in the middle of next year, with the aim of reducing litter and boosting recycling rates.
The scheme will offer a 10-cent reward for every eligible container returned, including soft drink cans, stubby bottles and flavoured milk containers.
Environment Minister Nick Duigan says around 50% of litter and roadside rubbish in the state is made up of drink containers, with the new scheme set to “reduce that substantially”.
“We know that there are a number of groups in our community and individuals of course who are really eagerly awaiting this scheme rolling out,” he said.
TAS Recycle will be the scheme coordinator and Cleanaway the network operator.
Cleanaway chief executive James Dawney says the company has designed a network based on “world-leading technology” that will include 49 collection points across the state.
“The vast majority of collection points will be automated collection points,” he said.
“It’s as easy as walking up. You can use an app or you can just get a voucher and then go and use that voucher to offset it against the cost of your groceries or get a cash refund at the redemption partner.”
“You can donate it to a charity if you so wish.”
“We’ll have the kiosks, which are generally co-located with retail and we are expecting to have five automated depots, which are your larger format facilities, which will be run by social enterprises.”
City Mission will partner with Cleanaway to establish some of these automated depots in the north of the state.
Dawney says a well-run container refund scheme can drive a range of advantages, including putting money back into people’s pockets and cleaning up litter.
“One of the things we’re most proud about is the way that it drives the circular economy,” he said.
“We’re very passionate about ensuring bottle-to-bottle, can-to-can outcomes because a well-designed, well-run container refund scheme delivers a very clean stream of product, which can find itself back on the shelves in a matter of months.”
The scheme was originally promised by the Liberals back in 2019 for a 2022 rollout.
