Queenslanders are encouraged to have their say in expanding the popular Container for Change program.
Spirit and wine bottles, as well as flavoured milk containers, fruit juice and even boxed wine, could soon be included in the recycling scheme.
Consultation has opened today for Queenslanders to decide via an online survey.
Currently, the containers for change program accepts most aluminium, glass, plastic, steel and some liquid paperboard beverage containers – with a 10-cent refund given for each item.
Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon says they want to grow the already successful scheme even further.
“More than 5.7 billion containers have been recycled and refunded since Containers for Change launched four years ago,” Minister Scanlon says.
“That’s over $560 million in refunds and billions of containers being turned into new products instead of ending up in landfill,”
“This is a great opportunity to expand a program that has supported hundreds of jobs, thrown millions of dollars behind local groups and seen the number of bottles being recovered and recycled
in Queensland grow threefold.”
The acting CEO of Container Exchange, the not-for-profit that runs Containers for Change, has urged all Queenslanders to get involved.
“The Containers for Change scheme has been embraced by Queenslanders since launch in 2018, providing refunds for over 24,000 different types of containers at our more than 350 container
refund points across the state,” Virginie Marley says.
“We look forward to the continued growth and expansion of the scheme and encourage our customers, refund point operators, beverage manufacturers and community groups and charities to
have their say online.”
The survey is open now until 20 February 2023.
To have your say, head to the link here.
