Western Australians returned more than 120 million containers and donated over half a million dollars for community groups and charities in 2020-21 as part of the McGowan Government's container deposit scheme, Containers for Change.
Launched on October 1, 2020, Containers for Change gives Western Australian's an opportunity to return eligible drink containers for a 10-cent refund. Tomorrow, Saturday, January 9, 2021 marks 100 days since scheme launch.
Since its introduction more than 120 million containers have been returned to Western Australia's 212 refund points. All those containers lined up would go from Albany to Kununurra and back.
More than 4,100 tonnes of glass, 600 tonnes of aluminium and 400 tonnes of PET plastic will be recycled from containers collected during the first 100 days of the scheme's operation.
Containers for Change has also seen more than $500,000 donated via scheme ID for 3,000 community groups and charities. This includes WA charity Wheelchairs for Kids, which has raised almost $10,000.
The volunteer-based not-for-profit organisation provides wheelchairs to children with disabilities in impoverished and under-resourced communities in Australia and around the world.
More than 680 local jobs have been created at Containers for Change refund points, with many filled by people with disability, the long-term unemployed, and Aboriginal people.
Over the next 20 years, it is estimated the scheme will recycle an additional 6.6 billion containers, keeping about 5.9 billion of those containers out of landfill and 706 million containers from being littered.
Further information about Containers for Change can be found at http://www.containersforchange.com.au
As stated by Environment Minister Stephen Dawson:
"Containers for Change has been widely supported since it was introduced 100 days ago and West Australians really do deserve praise for ensuring the success of this new recycling scheme.
"However, we are still seeing containers end up in litter and landfill, so we all need to do our bit to recycle them through the scheme.
"We need to change our thinking about what we do with waste. Drink containers made from glass, aluminium, plastic and liquid paperboard are resources that can be turned into new products, they do not belong in the bin.
"Containers for Change gives Western Australians an opportunity to be involved in a community-focused recycling scheme that offers community groups and charities another fundraising avenue.
"With half a million dollars already donated through the scheme, I encourage charities and community groups to use their scheme IDs and get involved.
"One such example is Wheelchairs for Kids who have used their scheme ID to raise almost $10,000 towards their worthy cause."
