Page 4718 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 31 October 2017
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It is proposed that the ACT will adopt the same eligibility as the New South Wales container deposit scheme, meaning that most beverage containers with a volume between 150 millilitres and three litres will be eligible. Container materials that may be eligible include aluminium, steel, glass, liquid paperboard, PET and HDPE. This bill recognises that there is a shared responsibility between beverage container makers and suppliers, the government and the wider community. The bill requires beverage container makers and suppliers to establish a system to collect and recover empty beverage containers. The scheme will be funded by beverage container makers, which will simultaneously encourage recycling and reduce littering across the ACT.
This scheme will be effective because it delivers on these outcomes in two ways. The container deposit scheme will reduce littering, as members of the community will want to hold on to their used beverage containers to receive a refund payment under this scheme. The scheme will also increase tidying up of our streets and recycling by encouraging other members of the community to pick up litter for late redemption. This scheme will simultaneously reduce littering and divert recyclables and re-usables away from our environment and landfill, and will also encourage picking up of litter in our streets. This bill has been designed to align with the existing schemes in South Australia and the Northern Territory and will likely align with its equivalent in New South Wales.
The New South Wales return and earn scheme is set to commence on 1 December this year, to reduce the volume of litter in New South Wales. The return and earn scheme will allow members of the community to turn in eligible drink containers to a designated drop-off point for a 10c refund. The ACT government has been in consultation with the New South Wales Environmental Protection Authority to ensure that both schemes are harmonised so that a container deposit scheme can operate between both jurisdictions seamlessly. Due to our close geographical proximity, ACT residents will be able to receive a cash reimbursement when depositing eligible containers in New South Wales and vice versa.
Results from schemes in other jurisdictions have indicated a substantial reduction in litter and improved recovery of recyclables, so it is extremely positive to see that the ACT government is delivering a scheme here in the ACT. A container deposit scheme also has a monetary benefit for community groups such as schools, local charities, sporting groups and environmental groups. Local community groups will benefit from this scheme by returning containers to designated drop-off points across the ACT. While reducing rates of litter in the ACT and increasing recovery rates of litter, this may also encourage behavioural and culture change in the ACT in regard to littering and local waste management.
The Barr Labor government is delivering on our commitment to establish a container deposit scheme which we took to the election in 2016. I am very happy to see that this will be delivered early next year. This bill is a fantastic initiative to manage waste in the ACT and to protect our waterways, parks and roadsides. It will increase levels of recycling, reduce waste and keep our Canberra streets beautiful. I thank the minister for bringing this initiative forward, and I commend the bill to the Assembly.
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