Containers for change to raise money for wildlife

Wildlife sanctuary installs recycling buyback scheme.

Senior vet at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Dr Michael Pyne, takes care of Turbo the koala. Picture: Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

CURRUMBIN Wildlife Sanctuary is jumping on board the Containers for Change scheme by installing Queensland's first commercial container refund scheme reverse vending machine.

This comes as Minister for Environment Leeanne Enoch announced the success of the scheme with more than 440 million containers returned in the first six months.

Since the installation, the Sanctuary has collected more than 500 cans, plastic and glass bottles from the reverse vending machine with funds to be donated directly to environmental projects at the Sanctuary.

Chair for the sustainability and innovation committee, Fabrice Miller said the initiative would reduce the number of containers in general waste while raising money for wildlife programs in a win-win for the environment.

"One of our sustainability committee goals here at our Sanctuary is to increase environmental awareness,” he said.

"If the public choose to help us by using the reverse vending machine here at the sanctuary, then we will certainly be able to achieve our goal.”

Minister Enoch said the Containers for Change initiative had been an incredible success.

"This scheme has created more than 630 new jobs and continues to go from strength to strength, providing financial incentives for recycling containers and encouraging more business opportunities and jobs across Queensland,” she said.

"It has also created a funding stream for our charities and community groups.

"With more than 440 million containers returned, this means more than $44 million has been returned to individuals, charities and community organisations.”

Under the scheme, people receive a 10-cent refund for recycling their cans and bottles at refund points across the state.

"The popularity of the scheme had exceeded expectations from the beginning, and the volume of returned containers is about a third higher than predicted,” she said.

"This success has meant more jobs have been created, and that will continue to grow.”

More than 168,900 Queenslanders have a Scheme ID with Containers for Change, along with more than 2,290 community groups, schools, charities and sporting clubs which are benefiting from the refunds.