Coles is rolling out 47 reverse vending machines across its Victorian stores as the state launches its Container Deposit Scheme from 1 November. The supermarket says this will help its customers recycle more plastic, glass and aluminium drink containers.
The Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) allows Victorians to earn a 10-cent refund when they return any eligible can, bottle or carton.
Coles general manager Grocery, Leanne White, said the scheme is an excellent way for customers to be rewarded for recycling and allows used cans, bottles and other eligible containers to be recycled into new products.
“We’re proud to be adding Reverse Vending Machines to 47 stores across the state in the coming months, from Bendigo to Blackburn, Berwick and Braybrook, we want to help make recycling as easy as possible for our customers,” said White.
“Now Victorian customers can be rewarded for returning their used cans, bottles and cartons, with the option to put the funds towards their next shop at Coles, redeem for cash, give to a charity, or add it straight into their bank account.”
Victoria’s environment minister Steve Dimopoulos thanked Coles for supporting the scheme, which, he said, aims to reduce the state’s litter by up to a half and create new economic and employment opportunities.
“We thank retailers like Coles who have worked with us to install reverse vending machines across the state. We’re confident by having them in such convenient locations we will be able to significantly reduce the state’s litter and give Victorians the option of putting cash back in their pockets,” Dimopoulos said.
Tomra Cleanaway was appointed set up the refund points, including reverse vending machines, across the west of Victoria and western suburbs of Melbourne. CEO James Dorney said he was proud to partner with Coles to set up refund points at several stores across the state.
“Our machines can hold up to 10,000 cartons, cans or bottles, use state-of the art sorting technology and are very quick and easy to use,” he said.
“Our aim is that using reverse vending machines becomes part of everyday life. Every time you go and do your shopping you return your drink containers.”
Once the rollout is complete, the supermarket says it will have a total of 139 container collection points at or near its stores across the country, with Tasmania the only remaining state to introduce a container deposit scheme.
According to the supermarket retailer, last financial year, more than 200 million drink containers, cans, cartons and bottles were returned to Coles-linked sites, and since it started supporting the various state-based schemes in 2018, it says that more than a billion containers have been returned.
