More than 600 new jobs will be created through Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic), according to the state government, which anticipates the scheme will also reduce the state’s litter by up to half when it begins later this year.
Minister for Environment Ingrid Stitt visited Tomra Cleanaway’s Clayton depot on Sunday to see the 80 reverse vending machines, which are being rolled out across Victoria before the scheme begins on 1 November.
Like other schemes around the country, CDS Vic will allow people to return their eligible used drink cans, bottles and cartons for a 10-cent refund, with refund points planned across the state.
“From the beginning of November, the CDS will put money in the pockets of Victorians, while also helping to clean up the state and deliver far-reaching environmental benefits.” said Stitt.
VicReturn is the scheme coordinator, while zone operators such as Tomra Cleanaway will establish and oversee the refund points, and the refunds to customers, and ensure proper recycling of the containers.
Tomra Cleanaway says it will deliver an estimated 200 new jobs across the West Zone – including new sales staff, technicians, collections drivers, refund point operator staff, and recycling sorting facility operators.
“Tomra Cleanaway’s West Zone for CDS Vic builds on the community’s existing exceptional environmental commitments. We have tasked ourselves with providing meaningful and skilled circular economy jobs across the West Zone of CDS Vic that fulfil a diverse range of tasks, and ultimately achieve positive social, environmental and economic benefits to all,” said company CEO, James Dorney.
There will be four ways people can return their eligible containers: reverse vending machines, depots, over-the-counter sites, and pop-up refund points.
Within the scheme’s first year, the zone operators will be required to have a minimum of one collection point per 14,500 people in metropolitan areas – at least one per town of 750 people in regional areas, and at least one per town of 350 people in remote areas.
