Reverse vending machines and other technology being considered to help boost recycling rates in South Australia

Would you use reverse vending machine to collect cash on your empty cans and bottles?

Brett Duncanson from Container Deposit Systems in Tonsley. Picture: Matt Loxton

Drink containers would be fed into reverse vending machines under a plan to expand South Australia’s deposit scheme.

The machines would accept bottles and other containers in exchange for credit, which could then be withdrawn as cash from bank accounts, redeemed as store credit or donated to charity.

They would be placed in shops, sports venues and other public places,

The machines are part of a state government proposal to increase recycling rates.

It is already investigating the expansion of the container deposit scheme to include wine bottles, fruit juice bottles and large flavoured milk containers.

Now, the government is looking for public input on the plan to introduce reverse vending machines.

Wendy Bevan, chief executive of environmental education organisation KESAB, said they should be considered as part of the mix to improve recycling rates and recover higher-value material.

“We know that convenience is key. We do need to be mindful that different people have different amounts of time and motivation,” she said. “Depots work for a lot of people but for the people it doesn’t work for, is there another way?”

Environment Protection Authority director of policy, assessment and finance Kathryn Bellette said a previous discussion paper found more return points would lead to the return of 20 million extra containers each year in SA.

Before this could come into effect, the Environment Protection Act would need to be changed to allow a broader range of collection points, such as reverse vending machines.

Adelaide-based Container Deposit Systems makes supervised self-serve machines that recognise and count eligible containers of any shape and condition, giving customers a receipt that can be redeemed at a cash terminal.

It now has 250 machines across 80 depot sites in Australia – but none in SA because current laws do not recognise the technology.

Proposed changes would mean they could be rolled out locally, executive chairman Brett Duncanson said.

Public consultation about the proposed changes runs until November 19.

Visit yoursay.sa.gov.au/cds-review