Western Australia’s new container deposit scheme, Containers for Change, has been officially launched.
People will now be able to cash in their eligible drink containers for a 10¢ refund at any of the more than 200 authorised Containers for Change refund points across the State.
Almost half of these refund points will be in regional Western Australia, including in some of the most remote parts of the State.
The scheme’s regulator, Western Australia Return, Recycle, Renew Ltd. (WARRRL), said more than 600 local jobs had already been created at Containers for Change refund points, with many of those positions filled by people with disability or the long-term unemployed, and also by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
“It is estimated that the scheme will recycle an additional 6.6 billion containers over the next 20 years,” WARRRL said.
“Without the scheme it is estimated that 5.9 billion of these containers would have gone to landfill and 706 million would simply have been added to litter,” it said.
The City of Perth launched its involvement in the campaign with the official opening of its first refund point (pictured).
Chair of the City of Perth Commission, Andrew Hammond said the project was an opportunity for the City to reinforce its leadership in sustainability, community capacity-building and resource management.
“This is one more step in the city’s journey towards waste education,” Mr Hammond said.
“Returning eligible containers for refund provides community incentives and in turn lowers litter rates, reduces contamination in recycling and ultimately ensures higher rates of recycling within our city boundaries,” he said.