Container deposit scheme
Ryan BATCHELOR (Southern Metropolitan) (09:55): Start collecting your cans, Victoria, because the 10-cent container deposit scheme is coming. Almost half of all litter in Victoria is made up of drink containers, and that is why I was particularly pleased that the Andrews Labor government recently announced details of Victoria’s container deposit scheme to start in November this year. I was very pleased that I got to try out one of the new reverse vending machines at the launch at Life Saving Victoria with the minister and my colleague Mr Berger and the member for Albert Park. I was excited to see that there are going to be more than 600 collection points across the state, meaning lots of people in my region of Southern Metropolitan but also regions right across the state will have easy and convenient access to recycle their containers. It is part of our commitment to a cleaner Victoria and the next step in our ambitious recycling plan, backed by an investment of almost half a billion dollars, with the goal of diverting 80 per cent of material away from landfill by 2030.
Under the scheme Victorians are going to receive a 10-cent refund for every container they put into one of the reverse vending machines or drop off at a collection point. There will be a range of ways to dispose of containers – the scheme will be designed to be as convenient and accessible as possible. It will include reverse vending, over-the-counter collection points at shops and small businesses and pop-up points run by community groups, sports clubs and charities. It will increase the volume and quality of our recycling and reduce the litter that pollutes our streets and waterways.