Make money from rubbish—new recycling scheme launches soon
- Replies 4
Recycling initiatives have long played a crucial role in reducing waste and promoting sustainability.
However, their effectiveness often depends on widespread participation and strategic implementation.
Now, a new development is set to reshape how one Australian state tackles litter and recycling, bringing it in line with a nationwide effort.
South Australia made history in 1977 by launching the country's first container deposit scheme (CDS), allowing residents to trade bottles for cash at designated recycling locations.
Nearly five decades later, Tasmania became the final state to introduce its own version of the initiative, uniting all Australian jurisdictions in a nationwide recycling effort.
Authorities confirmed that Tasmania’s program, Recycling Rewards, would officially roll out on 1 May.
The long-anticipated scheme, welcomed by environmental advocates, would provide a 10-cent refund for each eligible drink container returned at designated refund points.
A spokeswoman for TasRecycle shared that once the program commenced, it would ‘be accessible to all Tasmanians.’
There would be 49 refund points across the state, though the exact locations were still being finalised, with further details to be announced before the scheme’s launch.
Environment Minister Madeleine Ogilvie stated that the initiative aimed to cut the number of plastic containers littering the streets and ending up in landfills while pushing Tasmania toward a circular economy.
‘Drink containers make up as much as 45 per cent of Tasmania’s litter and through Recycle Rewards, we hope to reduce that by half and double their recycling rate,’ she told the media.
The launch would be staged, and in the meantime, Tasmanians were encouraged to continue using kerbside and public recycling bins.
A benchmark measurement would be conducted before the program began to track its impact, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRE Tas) confirmed.
Minister Ogilvie urged beverage companies to prepare for the transition by updating barcodes and labels in line with the scheme, with grants available to assist with costs.
NRE Tas allocated $80,000 in total funding, offering up to $1,000 per applicant, with applications closing on 30 June 2025 at 11:55 pm or when funds were depleted.
With this rollout, Australia was set to become the first continent to have a CDS in every jurisdiction.
South Australia pioneered the initiative in 1977, followed by the Northern Territory in 2012, New South Wales in 2017, the Australian Capital Territory and Queensland in 2018, Western Australia in 2020, and Victoria in 2023.
For those willing to put in the effort, the scheme had the potential to be lucrative.
Last year, a Brisbane woman who collected bottles and cans, earning $100 in just 30 minutes.
Inspired by her parents, Heidi Lou started collecting containers during the Christmas period and quickly found it to be a profitable money-saving strategy.
However, legal experts warned participants to be mindful of potential legal issues when collecting bottles.
Lawyer Avanish Singh explained that discarded items in a bin were generally considered abandoned, meaning they were not legally classified as stolen.
‘If items have been placed in a bin for disposal, then the item will be taken to be “abandoned”—this means that someone who takes an item from a bin cannot be charged with stealing as the item is no longer capable of being stolen,’ he said.
‘The previous owner has effectively relinquished ownership of it.’
Despite this, Singh warned that trespassing laws still applied, meaning entering private property to collect bottles could lead to legal consequences.
In Victoria, such offences carried a maximum penalty of six months' imprisonment or a fine of up to 25 penalty units.
Australians collectively consumed 3.79 million tonnes of plastic per year, highlighting the need for initiatives like Recycling Rewards.
In a previous story, Heidi Lou made an unexpected $100 discovery while rummaging through a skip bin, highlighting just how much value can be found in discarded items.
Her experience sheds light on the growing trend of cashing in on recyclables and unwanted goods.
Read more about her surprising find here.
With Tasmania finally joining the rest of the country in the container deposit scheme, Australia is on track to becoming a leader in recycling initiatives.
Do you think Recycling Rewards will make a significant impact on reducing litter, or will it take more than just a refund to change habits?
Share your thoughts in the comments.
However, their effectiveness often depends on widespread participation and strategic implementation.
Now, a new development is set to reshape how one Australian state tackles litter and recycling, bringing it in line with a nationwide effort.
South Australia made history in 1977 by launching the country's first container deposit scheme (CDS), allowing residents to trade bottles for cash at designated recycling locations.
Nearly five decades later, Tasmania became the final state to introduce its own version of the initiative, uniting all Australian jurisdictions in a nationwide recycling effort.
Authorities confirmed that Tasmania’s program, Recycling Rewards, would officially roll out on 1 May.
The long-anticipated scheme, welcomed by environmental advocates, would provide a 10-cent refund for each eligible drink container returned at designated refund points.
A spokeswoman for TasRecycle shared that once the program commenced, it would ‘be accessible to all Tasmanians.’
There would be 49 refund points across the state, though the exact locations were still being finalised, with further details to be announced before the scheme’s launch.
Environment Minister Madeleine Ogilvie stated that the initiative aimed to cut the number of plastic containers littering the streets and ending up in landfills while pushing Tasmania toward a circular economy.
‘Drink containers make up as much as 45 per cent of Tasmania’s litter and through Recycle Rewards, we hope to reduce that by half and double their recycling rate,’ she told the media.
The launch would be staged, and in the meantime, Tasmanians were encouraged to continue using kerbside and public recycling bins.
A benchmark measurement would be conducted before the program began to track its impact, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRE Tas) confirmed.
Minister Ogilvie urged beverage companies to prepare for the transition by updating barcodes and labels in line with the scheme, with grants available to assist with costs.
NRE Tas allocated $80,000 in total funding, offering up to $1,000 per applicant, with applications closing on 30 June 2025 at 11:55 pm or when funds were depleted.
With this rollout, Australia was set to become the first continent to have a CDS in every jurisdiction.
South Australia pioneered the initiative in 1977, followed by the Northern Territory in 2012, New South Wales in 2017, the Australian Capital Territory and Queensland in 2018, Western Australia in 2020, and Victoria in 2023.
For those willing to put in the effort, the scheme had the potential to be lucrative.
Last year, a Brisbane woman who collected bottles and cans, earning $100 in just 30 minutes.
Inspired by her parents, Heidi Lou started collecting containers during the Christmas period and quickly found it to be a profitable money-saving strategy.
However, legal experts warned participants to be mindful of potential legal issues when collecting bottles.
Lawyer Avanish Singh explained that discarded items in a bin were generally considered abandoned, meaning they were not legally classified as stolen.
‘If items have been placed in a bin for disposal, then the item will be taken to be “abandoned”—this means that someone who takes an item from a bin cannot be charged with stealing as the item is no longer capable of being stolen,’ he said.
‘The previous owner has effectively relinquished ownership of it.’
Despite this, Singh warned that trespassing laws still applied, meaning entering private property to collect bottles could lead to legal consequences.
In Victoria, such offences carried a maximum penalty of six months' imprisonment or a fine of up to 25 penalty units.
Australians collectively consumed 3.79 million tonnes of plastic per year, highlighting the need for initiatives like Recycling Rewards.
In a previous story, Heidi Lou made an unexpected $100 discovery while rummaging through a skip bin, highlighting just how much value can be found in discarded items.
Her experience sheds light on the growing trend of cashing in on recyclables and unwanted goods.
Read more about her surprising find here.
With Tasmania finally joining the rest of the country in the container deposit scheme, Australia is on track to becoming a leader in recycling initiatives.
Do you think Recycling Rewards will make a significant impact on reducing litter, or will it take more than just a refund to change habits?
Share your thoughts in the comments.
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