'Game-changer': NSW scheme collects 2 billion containers in 19 months
NSW's recycling industry is hailing the success of the Berejiklian government's container deposit scheme, with two billion bottles and cans collected in the first 19 months, easily beating expectations.
The milestone was expected to be passed on Monday, with the latest tally for the Return and Earn scheme put at 1.9999 billion drinks containers with about 4 million of them being handed in each day.
The 10-cent collection scheme took a year to reach 1 billion containers and just seven months to add another. Instead of bringing in 1.2-1.3 billion units in 2019 alone, the figure is likely to be closer to 1.8 billion containers, according to David Clancy, general manager for solid waste at Cleanaway.
"It's greater than our expectations," Mr Clancy said, adding collections were now approaching half of all eligible drinks sold. The three billion mark is likely to be crossed before the year's end.
Energy and Environment Minister Matt Kean said early critics of the scheme "have been totally silenced", with some 645 collection points now in place across NSW.
"It's been a phenomenal success," he said.
About one in two adults in NSW have participated in the scheme, reducing the amount of containers reaching landfill by about 57 per cent.
"It's great because it's reducing litter out of the streets and it’s also going back into the economy to produce new goods,” Mr Kean said. "It's the single biggest litter reduction initiative in the state's history."
The Tomra Cleanaway joint venture at Eastern Creek alone employs 22 staff on its seven days a week roster, with another 200 drivers alone required to collect the waste.
All up, the scheme has generated about 500 jobs in the recycling industry - although more could be generated if the aluminium cans were recycled in the country rather than exported to Asia and Europe.
Recycling such cans can use just 5 to 10 per cent of the energy needed to mine bauxite and make aluminium from scratch, Cleanaway staff said.
Mr Kean said there was scope for a national plan for drink container collection, noting that Victoria has yet to commit to any such scheme.