Perth’s Optus Stadium has joined the fight to save 10c containers from landfill, installing 460 Containers for Change bins through its venue.
More than 2.2 million drink containers are sold at Optus Stadium each year, with approximately 71 per cent of those being recycled through the Stadium’s former system.
The new initiative is expected to save more than 600,000 recyclable containers from landfill each year.
WA Return Recycle Renew (WARRRL) CEO Tim Cusack congratulated VenuesLive and its resource recovery partner Veolia on their commitment to updating the Stadium’s waste and recycling program.
WARRRL is the not-for-profit organisation that oversees the state’s container deposit scheme (CDS), known as Containers for Change.
“Our community is doing an excellent job recycling their 10c containers at home. However, more than one million 10c containers are still discarded into general waste bins each day by people when out and about,” Cusack said.
“Access to public Containers for Change bins and exchange points gives our community a real chance to dispose of their waste and recyclable materials as carefully while at the footy or watching Coldplay, as they do at home.
“We warmly welcomed the engagement from VenuesLive as they sought solutions that would enable a 90 to 100 per cent container recycling rate at Optus Stadium and congratulate them and Veolia on their commitment to resource recovery.”
Optus Stadium attracts more than two million people each year to major sporting and music events, corporate functions, private events and tours.
The bright green 240L bins are located across the stadium’s public concourses and premium public terraces, as well as through numerous back-of-house locations. Each bin will hold up to 240 eligible drinks containers.
“Containers for Change has been a part of Western Australia for almost three years, and has seen over two billion containers recycled in that time,” said Cusack.
“It is the most recognised recycling program in WA, and we encourage other entertainment precincts, workplaces, hospitality venues, accommodation and businesses big and small to get on board and engage with us to establish container recycling options.”
To celebrate the installation of the new bins, Containers for Change will host a competition, giveaways and entertainment at the Fremantle Dockers v Sydney Swans AFL match at Optus Stadium on 22 July.
