WA
DEPOSIT
SCHEME
MID-2018
A CONTAINER DEPOSIT SCHEME
FAQ
10
c
REFUND
GOVERNMENT OF
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
ON ELIGIBLE EMPTY
CONTAINERS
How will the container deposit scheme work
in Western Australia?
The scheme will apply across the State. Anyone
returning an empty eligible beverage container
with a scheme label to an approved collection
depot or reverse vending machine will be eligible
for a 10 cent refund. The reverse vending
machines look like any drinks vending machine
except they work in reverse.
What items are included?
The scheme targets beverage containers most
commonly seen as litter, helping to reduce
litter, boost recycling figures and protect our
environment. Examples of beverage containers
eligible for the refund include:
Will people in regional areas have access
to reverse vending machines and collection
depots?
Yes. All Western Australians will have the
opportunity to benefit from their recycling efforts.
The scheme will include a 10 cent refund when
eligible cans and bottles are returned. A mix of
reverse vending machines will be placed at parks,
beaches and public spaces and collection depots
will be located throughout the State.
Will I have to pay more for drinks which are
eligible under the scheme?
soft drink cans and bottles;
bottled waters – both plastic and glass;
small flavoured milk drinks;
beer cans and bottles; and
sports drinks and spirit-based mixed drinks.
The cost of cans and bottles is likely to go up
by 10 cents because distribution and pricing of
these products is done on a national basis. New
South Wales, Queensland and the Australian
Capital Territory have announced their intention to
introduce container deposit schemes, and South
Australia and Northern Territory already have
schemes in place. The increase of 10 cents can
be recouped under the scheme and therefore
there is no additional cost to the consumer.
Why are milk containers and wine bottles not
part of the container deposit scheme?
What else is the government doing to reduce
litter?
The container deposit scheme focuses on
beverage containers that are usually consumed
away from home. Milk containers and wine bottles
are mostly consumed in homes and placed in
domestic recycling bins. This ensures that the
scheme focuses on those items which are most
commonly found as litter.
The container deposit scheme will complement
programs and actions in the Western Australian
Waste Strategy: Creating the Right Environment
and the Litter Prevention Strategy for Western
Australia 2015-20. Examples of State Government
initiatives include increasing the landfill levy for
waste disposed to landfill, raising fines for littering
and introducing the offence of illegal dumping.
The Government also has a range of programs
administered by the Waste Authority and Keep
Australia Beautiful Council, such as the Better
Bins Program, to improve local government waste
collection systems, the Recycled Construction
Products program to encourage recycling of
construction and demolition waste, the Litter
Reporter Scheme and Adopt-a-Spot litter clean-up.
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Can I start collecting empty containers now?
No. The 10 cent refund will only apply to
containers produced after the scheme commences
in mid-2018. Eligible containers will be labelled
and the reverse vending machines will be able to
read the label barcode.
FAQ
COMMENCES
Should I continue recycling at home?
Yes. Recycling, whether done through the scheme
or at home, benefits the environment. Local
governments which collect eligible containers
recycled at home from existing kerbside
collections can collect the funds that can then flow
back to local residents.
Why recycle?
FAQ
A CONTAINER DEPOSIT SCHEME
FAQ
When will it start and how can I get more
information?
The intention of Government is to work through
the finer details with stakeholders for the scheme
to commence by mid-2018.
Information will be regularly updated as further
work is done on the webpage
www.der.wa.gov.au/cds.
Why will it take so long to start?
Reducing our waste and improving our recycling
is important. About 1.4 tonnes of waste was
landfilled in 2014-15 for each person in Western
Australia, equivalent to the weight of a compact
car.
Recycling has positive economic benefits – as
it creates more jobs than landfill. Every 10,000
tonnes of waste landfilled generates 2.8 fulltime
equivalent (FTE) jobs. In comparison 9.2 FTE
jobs are created by recycling the same amount.
Once decisions on the design of the container
deposit scheme are made, it is likely that some
changes to regulations or even legislation may be
required. It is important that legislation changes,
labelling requirements and measures required –
to make the scheme operate smoothly – are in
place and well understood by the community and
industry before the scheme’s commencement.
The timeframe allows for this and is similar to that
for both New South Wales and Queensland.
Separating recyclables and reducing waste can
also lead to lower waste service costs, allowing
local governments to re-allocate savings to other
services.
GOVERNMENT OF
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
20160289 0816
For more information go to www.der.wa.gov.au/cds