Page 2695 - Week 09 - Thursday, 25 August 1994
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(3) the implications of such a system for recycling programs currently in place;
(4) the applicability of the draft Container Recycling Bill presented by the Chair; and
(5) any other matters the Committee considers relevant.
Madam Speaker, I would like to draw the Assembly's attention to the fact that the speech that I am about to deliver largely has been prepared for me by a work experience student from Stromlo High who is working in my office this week. She was here for the Youth Parliament. It was through the Youth Parliament that she sought to do work experience. I know that many members have work experience students in their offices at times. I think it reflects just how competent young people are today and what a great education system we have that somebody in Year 10 can manage that.
The matter of the reintroduction of reusable beverage containers is certainly one which should be looked upon with a great deal of care. At face value it is a positive idea, with many advantages for both the public and the Government. Nowadays, the three Rs - reduce, reuse and recycle - come up quite regularly. However, out of these three Rs, only one seems to be getting the attention that all three should be receiving. Looking at these words, the one that seems to show its head most is recycle, the others being lost under the excitement of putting your cans in the colourfully attired bin. However, this should definitely not be happening. Those other two words were put there not just to make use of alliteration but to be taken heed of. One way of reusing and reducing waste is by reintroducing the reusable beverage containers. As the name suggests, this idea takes care of the first R, and, by doing so, takes care of the other two. By reusing the bottles, the amount of needed raw material and new containers is reduced. Also, by reusing the bottle, we recycle it. So there you have it - an idea which actually makes use of the other two Rs which are too often forgotten.
Beverage containers were made disposable in the 1970s. Previous to this change, beverage containers were reusable and therefore there was minimal waste involved. The customer, when purchasing their beverage, would pay a deposit on the bottle. Once they had finished with the container, they would return it to the place of purchase and their deposit would be refunded. The bottles were then returned to the manufacturer, who cleaned and reused the container, as happens with our milk bottles. People such as Mr Connolly and I, who grew up in South Australia, know when we go home that the system is used there. This change to single-use, throwaway containers has done nothing but damage the environment and put the consumer even further out of pocket. This is so because the increase in domestic waste has been significant and is having many detrimental effects on the environment. As for putting the consumer out of pocket, the fact is that nowadays, when you purchase your beverage, you are paying for the whole container as well, whereas if it were returnable this would not be so.
The environment is suffering a great deal at the moment. Anything which would help lessen the problem should be taken very seriously indeed. Why? The answer is clear. There is a responsibility on the twentieth century person, living in the world in the state that it is in, to make sure that they are actually helping to minimise the effect on
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