Queensland to open container refund scheme to glass wine and spirit bottles from November

Queenslanders will soon be able to cash in glass wine and spirit bottles in a major nation-leading expansion of a container recycling scheme.

Queenslanders will be able to cash in glass wine and spirit bottles for 10c apiece within months in a major nation-leading expansion of a container recycling scheme.

The state government will on Thursday confirm the Containers for Change scheme will take glass wine and spirit bottles from November 1, with the decision made after months of consultation.

The container refund scheme has recovered more than 6.4 billion containers since it started in the state in 2018, with more than $630m handed back to Queenslanders.

A total of 815 jobs have been created through the scheme’s lifetime according to the state government.

Wine and spirit bottles will soon be able to be deposited at Containers for Change. Source: iStock

The 360 container refund points across the state won’t accept glass wine and spirit bottles until November 1, with the six month lead in time needed to get industry and facilities ready.

Queenslanders are asked to continue putting these items into their yellow top bin for the time being.

Most aluminium, glass, plastic, and steel containers are currently accepted, but they must be greater than 150ml and less than three litres.

Boomerang Alliance campaign manager Toby Hutcheon said the expansion made sense considering beer bottles already attracted a 10c refund.

“Mixed glass collected for recycling remains a problem, so including more glass in the scheme, where quality and value are retained, will make recycling easier and help the industry,” he said.

The state government confirmed 98 per cent of the 6600 Queenslanders who responded to the proposal during consultation were supportive of opening up the scheme to glass.

Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon said the program would help divert materials from landfill to be recycled and support jobs at the same time.

“We’ve heard you Queensland. Plastic bottles, cans, poppers and very soon glass wine and spirit bottles will all give you a 10 cent refund, just in time for the festive season,” she said.

“Of course, we don’t want Queenslanders to pop the champagne too early, as we work with 360 container refund depots as well as wine makers and spirit distillers over the next six months to get ready for the change.”