Coasties embracing new recycling scheme
THE state government’s container deposit scheme may have got off to a shaky start but many Coasties are embracing the chance to claw back an extra 10 cents a bottle.
Central Coast
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THE state government’s container deposit scheme may have got off to a shaky start but many Coasties are embracing the chance to claw back an extra 10 cents a bottle.
Heavily criticised for sending the price of a slab of beer up an extra $4 the government’s Return and Earn scheme also suffered some teething problems when the contractor failed to meet rollout targets for collection points.
There are three Return and Earn collection points or “reverse vending machines” on the Coast — at Erina, Bateau Bay and Lisarow — and nearly a month into the scheme residents are loving the chance to get a few dollars back.
Sam Kelly used the Erina reverse vending machine for the first time and said “it’s a fantastic idea”.
“I don’t now if we’re avid recyclers [but] I think it’s pretty fun,” he said.
Another woman said she had used it and she was hooked.
“I think with everything prices rise, people don’t realise,” she said of the government offsetting the cost of the scheme to manufacturers, which is then passed on to consumers.
“Prices do go up, not down and obviously the government needs to cover the cost. As long as it’s not a large rise I’m up for it.”
The container deposit scheme has passed the 32 million returns mark. The local collection point has notched up 88,240 bottles and cans at Erina, 592,163 at Bateau Bay and 639,161 at Lisarow. That’s the equivalent of $131,956.40 back in residents’ pockets.
People can get 10 cents for each eligible bottle or can, which they can get paid directly into their account using an app or a docket they can redeem for cash at Woolworths.