When Victoria’s container deposit scheme will begin

Victorians will finally benefit from a cash-for-cans program, with the government revealing a beginning date.

Victoria is set to begin its container deposit scheme in two years.

Victoria has finalised its plan for a container deposit scheme, with the cash for cans program to begin by 2023.

But advocates have urged Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio to make sure the long-awaited scheme will not be operated by just one company and want bigger returns for charities.

Ms D’Ambrosio on Wednesday announced details of the program after more than a year consulting with the industry.

Charity groups and individuals Victorians will be able to benefit from returning cans, bottles and cartons in an effort to cut down on litter.

Each container will be worth a 10c refund when returned, with these recycling costs taken on by the beverage companies and likely to be included in the price when drinks are sold.

Mobile drop-off points will be set up while reverse vending machines will be set up at shopping centres and other hubs.

These machines will give Victorians the ability to donate the refunds to their charity of choice or to collect a payment voucher.

The government expects it will cut almost half of the rubbish found in streets and waterways and this would be equivalent to about 3 billion containers every year.

They will also seek to have recycled goods sold on the market with the intent of being used by Victorian manufacturers.

Stacks of recycling are seen at the Cleanaway in Laverton, Melbourne. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Daniel Pockett

Victoria will open tenders for a “scheme co-ordinator” and network operators to oversee the rollout of the cash for cans program and take responsibility for how recycling is collected.

These private companies would be able to charge for running collection points and handling containers, with additional handling fees as high as 6.5c a container.

VicRecycle, set up by beverage Lion and Nathan and Coca-Cola Amatil, has asked for a guarantee the Victorian scheme will not be run by just one company.

They have also called for a model that lets community groups, charities and sporting clubs become their own network operators to receive the full benefit of the handling fee.

Interest groups argue that only allowing private companies to handle containers cuts down the benefits to these organisations, while governments have countered that this models allows for more collection points and a better-run system.

Environment Minister Lily D'Ambrosio speaks at Parliament House in Melbourne. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

Ms D’Ambrosio said final details were still being ironed out, with market interest and cost to dictate the final result.

“We’ve not made any predeterminations on how many network operators there could be in the system,” she said.

“We’ll want to make sure that the network operator, or more than one operator, presents us with the best value possible for Victorians.

“The collection points, the number of them and the accessibility of them goes to the very success of the number of containers that are returned and the amount of money that can be raised for community organisations.

“There are some states that have a poorer distribution of drop-off points … It’s harder for people to be able to return their containers.”

VicRecycle chair Paul Klymenko said the Andrews Government’s announcement was positive in that it ensured local groups would be involved.

“We’re hopeful community organisations, charities and sporting clubs will be able to directly take part in the scheme as collection point network operators and not have to subcontract through a third party,” he said.

“We look forward to the government making this commitment.

“If Victorian charities, community groups and sporting clubs are forced to subcontract to take part as operators in the CDS, they will lose up to $50 million in revenue.

“We’re also concerned that an over-reliance on unstaffed reverse vending machines will mean less jobs for Victorians.”

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