New drive through recycling depot opens in Moranbah

New facility provides locals with more convenience while encouraging others to get involved.

Staff member Darcy Fitzgerald counts containers.

A Central Queensland mining town has received its first depot refund point to encourage locals to continue their recycling efforts.

Moranbah residents now have access to a depot-style refund point through the Containers for Change scheme, with the O’Neill Street facility launching on Monday morning.

Locals were quick to make use of the new drive through Return-It facility, getting in to claim their recycling refunds.

Chief executive of Container Exchange, the not-for-profit organisation that administers the Containers for Change scheme, Ken Noye, said one of the key aims of the scheme was to provide greater convenience for Queenslanders.

“This addition of a drive-through depot will provide Moranbah residents with greater choice and accessibility to recycling containers,” he said.

“Together we are making a positive impact on the environment and local communities, but there is more work to do.”

Staff outside the new Return-It Moranbah recycling depot.

Previously only serviced by a “bag drop” facility, the Moranbah depot will allow recyclers to return containers from the comfort of their car, have them counted and receive their refund either immediately by cash or through EFT.

Customers will still be able to “drop and go” by leaving their containers in a bag drop area for counting, with their refund paid through EFT.

Residents can also still use the existing bag drop on Mills Avenue to return containers.

The Containers for Change scheme exchanges 10 cents for every eligible beverage container returned to a registered Container Refund Point in Queensland.

Mr Noye said the region had shown its eagerness for recycling, with more than 140 million containers returned since the scheme began in late 2018.

Staff member Zavier Edwards with a full bag of containers.

“That has equated to $14 million in refunds collected by local residents, charities, community groups and businesses within the wider Mackay region,” he said.

“The Containers for Change scheme has an ambitious target of collecting 85 per cent of all eligible beverage containers sold by June 2022.

“With approximately one billion containers still ending up in landfill or the environment, that equates to more than $100 million in refunds still available to the community, charity groups and businesses.”

This is the second opening of a drive-through depot in the Mackay region this month after a Container Refund Point was opened in the Mackay Harbour area on May 4.

Click here for more information on the Containers for Change scheme.