Milestone gives Maranoa one million reasons to recycle

Residents taking advantage of the Containers for Change scheme have saved truckloads from landfill.

RAISING MONEY: Heath Heinemann, Aubree Davis and Savannah Daly help to recycle at Goodstart Early Learning, by donating bottles to the Container Exchange. Picture: Jorja McDonnell

CASHING in on bottles and cans has paid dividends in the Maranoa, with the local container exchanges counting their one millionth eligible container.

The momentous milestone was reached on Friday - four months since the community got on board.

Like many local groups, Goodstart Early Learning has been collecting containers to exchange.

"It is something new for the centre, and it is a way of involving the families as a community practice,” Goodstart director Tabitha Lippert said.

"The children get excited to donate here, and it is also convenient that we can offer that service to the community.”

Since the exchanges opened, they have put a significant amount of money back in to the community.

"With one million containers received, $100,000 has gone back to Maranoa residents,” portfolio chair for waste Councillor Geoff McMullen said.

"This is a huge accomplishment for the community.”

Since the Container Refund Scheme rolled out across Queensland in November, it has collected more than 561,257,707 containers statewide.

Council offices in Mitchell and Cartwright St, Roma, accept containers Monday-Friday, from 9am-4pm, while the Roma Refuse site is open Wednesday-Friday, 1-4pm.