How the container deposit scheme has become my secret obsession

"It started with judging others, then I decided to give it a go. Now every time I cash in my refunds, it feels like winning the pokies!"

Image: CDSVIC / Supplied

Recently in Victoria, the container deposit scheme became active which meant ‘eligible drink containers’ could be exchanged for 10 cents at designated refund points.

When I first heard that this was happening, it was by chance when a ginormous machine appeared in my local supermarket car park, literally taking up about a quarter of the space.

Upon seeing this and investigating what the heck was going on, my reaction was actually one of disdain. 

Firstly, the machine is huge and at least five well-positioned car parks were now gone. 

And then there’s the money- I mean 10 cents for lugging glass, plastic or aluminium drink containers in my car, to the machine, then having to load each one individually in public into a machine to earn myself a measly 10 cents per item?

Well, I just thought that it sounded like way too much effort for what it is worth. 

Plus, I don’t need everyone knowing what my beverages of choice are - I live in a regional area and may also have a slight addiction to Coke Zero that I don’t need everyone talking about.

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Image: CDSVIC / Supplied

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It started with judgment... then I thought, what the hell?!

So, for the first few weeks of the machine being switched on, instead of being the victim of judgment, I quietly judged others.

Yep, as they stood there with several garbage bags of cans and bottles, placing them into the machine, sometimes for longer than I was in the grocery store for, I just thought…really?! 

But then one quiet Sunday afternoon, after observing quite the collection of Coke Zero cans and other drink bottles in my kitchen recycle bin, I thought, well what the hell?!

So, I loaded up the items into a tub, drove up to the machine, quickly gauged who was around and after determining I was alone, I took my tub filled with cans, spent a couple of minutes figuring the contraption out and then began the process that unbeknownst to me would become my undoing.

My dirty little secret (well, until now at least).

"It felt like winning the pokies"

You see, as I placed each can and bottle into the machine and it tallied up my earnings 10 cents at a time, well it was how I imagined winning the pokies would feel like, with coins just flying out of the slot, covering me in some sort of coin version of Indecent Proposal.

Plus, right now, with the cost of living, I will take any money that comes my way, even if it is 10 cents at a time.

After spending about three minutes placing the containers in, the $2.10 receipt token came out and I was immediately filled with a sense of joy, one I hadn’t felt in quite a while.

With this, I bounded into the supermarket to cash in my receipt for what I viewed as the jackpot I had (proudly) earned.

When I returned to the car with my earnings, I dialled my husband. 

“$2.10,” I told him.

“What are you talking about?” He replied.

“The cans and bottles. $2.10,” I responded excitedly.

“Is that it?” he asked as if this amount was nothing.

“You wouldn’t understand,” I replied indignantly, ending the call before he could ruin my elated mood.

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"I keep trying to break a new record"

Despite my husband not being on the same page as me when it comes to the cash-back scheme and my daughters refusing to accompany me to the exchange point out of embarrassment, I have remained dedicated, so much so that it has become borderline obsessive.

As I, or any family member consume any drink that has that little 10c label, I watch on observing until they have finished and then dutifully collect it for that week’s visit.

If someone inadvertently puts it in the recycle bin at home- inside or outside- I will retrieve it and place it into the tub where it belongs.

I will watch on throughout the week as the collection grows as if it is some sort of plant, or garden I have nurtured to life myself and once the tub is filled, or the weekend comes, well I head to my car, drive straight to the collection point and start the process again, always hoping this week’s tally is bigger than last weeks. 

And happily, may I report that last week, I broke a new record, $3.90 and with that I bought myself a can of Coke Zero.

Originally published as How the container deposit scheme has become my secret obsession