Container Deposit Scheme
The NSW Government is delivering the largest litter reduction scheme ever
introduced in NSW, Return and Earn.
Return and Earn will roll out from 1 December 2017 and will help to reduce the 160
million drink containers littered in our environment each year. Drink containers make
up almost half of the volume of litter in NSW.
Return and Earn is part of the NSW Government’s commitment to reducing litter
volume in NSW by 40 per cent by 2020.
Key features of Return and Earn are:
- when the scheme is fully rolled out, there will be more than 500 collection points across the state, including in remote towns of more than 500 people and at 270 sites across the Greater Sydney Region
- the 10-cent refund at reverse vending machines will be provided as a voucher for in store redemption, electronic transfer, cash or may be donated to a community group.
- eligible containers include most glass, cans, plastic and paperboard drink containers between 150 millilitres and three litres – those most often found in the litter stream.
How will this benefit my community?
The main beneficiaries of the scheme will be the environment and the community.
Over the next 20 years, the Scheme is expected to result in:
1. 1.6 billion fewer beverage containers being littered
2. Almost 11 billion fewer beverage containers ending up in landfill
3. 12.6 billion more beverage containers being recycled.
What containers are eligible?
Most empty 150-millilitre to three litre beverage containers will be eligible for a 10 cent refund when presented to an approved NSW collection point. There are some exceptions, and containers not eligible for a refund are described in the section
below.
Container materials that may be eligible for a refund include PET, HDPE, glass, aluminium
steel, liquid paperboard, Scheme exceptions
Containers that are not included in the scheme and, therefore, do not qualify for a
refund are:
- plain milk (or milk substitute) containers
- flavoured milk containers of one litre or more
- pure fruit or vegetable juice containers of one litre or more
- glass containers for wine and spirits
- casks (plastic bladders in boxes) for wine and casks for water of one litre or more
- sachets for wine of 250 millilitres or more
- containers for cordials, and concentrated fruit/vegetable juices
- registered health tonics
These drinks are predominantly consumed at home and are not found in the litter stream. They are also broadly similar to the exceptions in the South Australian and Northern Territory container deposit schemes, to aid consistency.
How do I participate?
From 1 December 2017, consumers can exchange an eligible container at an
approved collection point to receive a 10 cent refund per container. Containers
should be empty, uncrushed, unbroken and with the original label attached.
There will be more than 500 collection points across NSW that may include reverse
vending machines (RVMs) in your local shopping centre or shops, over the counter
sites, existing recycling centres, or a combination of all. An online map will be
unveiled in coming weeks so that you can find your nearest collection point.
