$100m left unclaimed in containers for change scheme

A whopping $100m is being left unclaimed every year by those who aren’t cashing their containers in to get a 10c refund – the equivalent of about one billion bottles and cans.

Queenslanders are missing out on tens of millions of dollars every year by throwing away their used containers instead of cashing them in.

About 5.4 billion containers have now been returned, refunded and recycled through the Containers for Change program since it kicked off in 2018 – returning $540m to the pockets of Queenslanders.

But a huge $100m is being left unclaimed every year by those who aren’t cashing their containers in to get the 10c refund – the equivalent of about one billion bottles and cans.

Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon said the money Queenslanders were missing out on could be used as pocket money for kids, to help sporting clubs, and support community groups.

Counter and sorter for Containers for Change depot in Coorparoo, Sabastian Bailey, in a sea of recycled plastic bottles. Picture: Zak Simmonds

“Most of all, it’s a great and easy way to help the environment with the containers collected being remade into new products instead of ending up in landfill,” she said.

“There are plenty of ways to get involved, like dropping your containers off at dedicated depots, using reverse vending machines or if you’re (a) community group or sporting club (by) starting your own donation location.”

Since the Containers for Change program began, the southside Brisbane electorate of Mansfield has returned the most cans and bottles – with 389.5 million containers refunded at local depots.

This is followed by the Townsville electorate, where 259.4 million containers have been refunded, and the Coomera electorate on the Gold Coast where almost 243 million containers have been cashed in.

More than 228 million containers have also been returned in the electorate of Woodridge in Logan, as well as 211.5 million in the electorate of Mirani near Mackay.

The state government announced plans last month to widen the program to include glass wine and spirit bottles – which are currently exempt from the scheme.

Consultation on the proposal is set to begin soon.

Counter and sorter at the Containers for Change depot in Coorparoo, Sabastian Bailey, said he saw kids, grandparents, sporting teams and businesses cashing in their containers.

“Right now is a great time for new customers to bring down the containers they’ve collected from end of year celebrations and see just how easy it is to get some extra cash in their pocket,” he said.