The aftermath of a New Year's party can often be a daunting sight, with empty bottles and cans strewn about. But what if you could turn that mess into money?

That's exactly what Queensland's acting Environment Minister urges residents to do, thanks to the state's innovative recycling initiative, Containers For Change.

Launched in 2018, Containers For Change has been a game-changer in the recycling landscape of Queensland.

The program offers a 10-cent refund for each eligible empty drink container returned, turning post-party clean-ups into a lucrative endeavour.

The Containers For Change program allows customers to recycle empty bottles for a 10-cent refund. Credit: Containers for Change

'Last year, Queenslanders who participated in Containers For Change received on average $200 in refunds,' said acting Environment Minister Grace Grace.

That's a significant sum, especially when you consider that it's money earned from simply recycling items that would otherwise end up in the trash.

Since its inception, the program has seen an astounding 7.4 billion containers returned, with a total of $740 million paid out in refunds.

The festive season, with its flurry of parties and gatherings, presents an excellent opportunity to take advantage of these refunds.

'The festive season gives a great opportunity to take advantage of these refunds,' Grace said, urging people to ‘cash in’.

But the benefits of Containers For Change aren't limited to the holiday season. The program runs year-round, providing a steady stream of income for those who regularly participate.

CEO of Containers For Change, Natalie Roach, said, ‘As Queenslanders clean up after festive season parties and set their New Year’s resolutions, we are encouraging them to make positive change with their empties.’

'On average, Queenslanders returned more than 5 million containers a day in January 2023, and we want to see this return rate well and truly surpassed in 2024.'

The program recently expanded its list of eligible containers to include glass wine and spirit bottles following an extensive consultation period. This expansion, which took effect in November 2023, also increased the number of return sites to 360, making it even easier for residents to participate.

‘Our decision to include glass wine and pure spirit bottles followed an extensive consultation period, during which more than 6,600 Queenslanders shared their thoughts about including additional containers in the refund program,’ Grace said.

Returning containers is a breeze, with options to suit everyone's needs. You can drop off your containers at drive-through depots, 24-hour bag drops, reverse vending machine kiosks, and mobile services. There's even a free home collection service available in many parts of the state.

Containers for Change also operates in Western Australia, where the initiative says it has ‘hundreds’ of refund points.

In a similar story, Coles supermarkets installed ‘reverse vending machines’, where customers can insert empty drink containers and receive a 10-cent refund instantly.

The refund acts as an incentive for customers to recycle properly rather than throwing containers away. You can read more about Coles’s initiative here.

So, as you clean up after your New Year's festivities, remember that each empty bottle and can could be money in your pocket. Not only will you be helping to keep your surroundings beautiful, but you'll also be rewarded for your efforts. It's a win-win situation!

Key Takeaways

• Queenslanders are being encouraged to earn extra cash by returning their empty drink containers as part of the Containers For Change program.
• The program has paid out $740 million since its inception, with participants receiving an average refund of $200 last year.
• The list of eligible drink containers has been expanded to include glass wine and spirit bottles.
• Many return options are available, including drive-through depots, 24-hour bag drops, reverse vending machine kiosks, mobile services, and free home collection in many areas.

Have you participated in the Containers For Change program? What do you do with the items you cleaned up post-party? Share your experiences in the comments below!

 

[Julie1946]

The aftermath of a New Year's party can often be a daunting sight, with empty bottles and cans strewn about. But what if you could turn that mess into money?

That's exactly what Queensland's acting Environment Minister urges residents to do, thanks to the state's innovative recycling initiative, Containers For Change.

Launched in 2018, Containers For Change has been a game-changer in the recycling landscape of Queensland.

The program offers a 10-cent refund for each eligible empty drink container returned, turning post-party clean-ups into a lucrative endeavour.

View attachment 38533

The Containers For Change program allows customers to recycle empty bottles for a 10-cent refund. Credit: Containers for Change

'Last year, Queenslanders who participated in Containers For Change received on average $200 in refunds,' said acting Environment Minister Grace Grace.

That's a significant sum, especially when you consider that it's money earned from simply recycling items that would otherwise end up in the trash.

Since its inception, the program has seen an astounding 7.4 billion containers returned, with a total of $740 million paid out in refunds.

The festive season, with its flurry of parties and gatherings, presents an excellent opportunity to take advantage of these refunds.

'The festive season gives a great opportunity to take advantage of these refunds,' Grace said, urging people to ‘cash in’.

But the benefits of Containers For Change aren't limited to the holiday season. The program runs year-round, providing a steady stream of income for those who regularly participate.

CEO of Containers For Change, Natalie Roach, said, ‘As Queenslanders clean up after festive season parties and set their New Year’s resolutions, we are encouraging them to make positive change with their empties.’

'On average, Queenslanders returned more than 5 million containers a day in January 2023, and we want to see this return rate well and truly surpassed in 2024.'

The program recently expanded its list of eligible containers to include glass wine and spirit bottles following an extensive consultation period. This expansion, which took effect in November 2023, also increased the number of return sites to 360, making it even easier for residents to participate.

‘Our decision to include glass wine and pure spirit bottles followed an extensive consultation period, during which more than 6,600 Queenslanders shared their thoughts about including additional containers in the refund program,’ Grace said.

Returning containers is a breeze, with options to suit everyone's needs. You can drop off your containers at drive-through depots, 24-hour bag drops, reverse vending machine kiosks, and mobile services. There's even a free home collection service available in many parts of the state.

Containers for Change also operates in Western Australia, where the initiative says it has ‘hundreds’ of refund points.

In a similar story, Coles supermarkets installed ‘reverse vending machines’, where customers can insert empty drink containers and receive a 10-cent refund instantly.

The refund acts as an incentive for customers to recycle properly rather than throwing containers away. You can read more about Coles’s initiative here.

So, as you clean up after your New Year's festivities, remember that each empty bottle and can could be money in your pocket. Not only will you be helping to keep your surroundings beautiful, but you'll also be rewarded for your efforts. It's a win-win situation!

Key Takeaways

• Queenslanders are being encouraged to earn extra cash by returning their empty drink containers as part of the Containers For Change program.
• The program has paid out $740 million since its inception, with participants receiving an average refund of $200 last year.
• The list of eligible drink containers has been expanded to include glass wine and spirit bottles.
• Many return options are available, including drive-through depots, 24-hour bag drops, reverse vending machine kiosks, mobile services, and free home collection in many areas.

Have you participated in the Containers For Change program? What do you do with the items you cleaned up post-party? Share your experiences in the comments below!

It’s a great idea, but did you notice that all the bottles that have a return value have gone up in price at the supermarket

The aftermath of a New Year's party can often be a daunting sight, with empty bottles and cans strewn about. But what if you could turn that mess into money?

That's exactly what Queensland's acting Environment Minister urges residents to do, thanks to the state's innovative recycling initiative, Containers For Change.

Launched in 2018, Containers For Change has been a game-changer in the recycling landscape of Queensland.

The program offers a 10-cent refund for each eligible empty drink container returned, turning post-party clean-ups into a lucrative endeavour.

View attachment 38533

The Containers For Change program allows customers to recycle empty bottles for a 10-cent refund. Credit: Containers for Change

'Last year, Queenslanders who participated in Containers For Change received on average $200 in refunds,' said acting Environment Minister Grace Grace.

That's a significant sum, especially when you consider that it's money earned from simply recycling items that would otherwise end up in the trash.

Since its inception, the program has seen an astounding 7.4 billion containers returned, with a total of $740 million paid out in refunds.

The festive season, with its flurry of parties and gatherings, presents an excellent opportunity to take advantage of these refunds.

'The festive season gives a great opportunity to take advantage of these refunds,' Grace said, urging people to ‘cash in’.

But the benefits of Containers For Change aren't limited to the holiday season. The program runs year-round, providing a steady stream of income for those who regularly participate.

CEO of Containers For Change, Natalie Roach, said, ‘As Queenslanders clean up after festive season parties and set their New Year’s resolutions, we are encouraging them to make positive change with their empties.’

'On average, Queenslanders returned more than 5 million containers a day in January 2023, and we want to see this return rate well and truly surpassed in 2024.'

The program recently expanded its list of eligible containers to include glass wine and spirit bottles following an extensive consultation period. This expansion, which took effect in November 2023, also increased the number of return sites to 360, making it even easier for residents to participate.

‘Our decision to include glass wine and pure spirit bottles followed an extensive consultation period, during which more than 6,600 Queenslanders shared their thoughts about including additional containers in the refund program,’ Grace said.

Returning containers is a breeze, with options to suit everyone's needs. You can drop off your containers at drive-through depots, 24-hour bag drops, reverse vending machine kiosks, and mobile services. There's even a free home collection service available in many parts of the state.

Containers for Change also operates in Western Australia, where the initiative says it has ‘hundreds’ of refund points.

In a similar story, Coles supermarkets installed ‘reverse vending machines’, where customers can insert empty drink containers and receive a 10-cent refund instantly.

The refund acts as an incentive for customers to recycle properly rather than throwing containers away. You can read more about Coles’s initiative here.

So, as you clean up after your New Year's festivities, remember that each empty bottle and can could be money in your pocket. Not only will you be helping to keep your surroundings beautiful, but you'll also be rewarded for your efforts. It's a win-win situation!

Key Takeaways

• Queenslanders are being encouraged to earn extra cash by returning their empty drink containers as part of the Containers For Change program.
• The program has paid out $740 million since its inception, with participants receiving an average refund of $200 last year.
• The list of eligible drink containers has been expanded to include glass wine and spirit bottles.
• Many return options are available, including drive-through depots, 24-hour bag drops, reverse vending machine kiosks, mobile services, and free home collection in many areas.

Have you participated in the Containers For Change program? What do you do with the items you cleaned up post-party? Share your experiences in the comments below!

It’s a great idea, we did this as kids to earn pocket money, but have you noticed that all the return bottles have now gone up in price at the supermarket, I guess it’s take from one hand and put into the other.

 

[Petra]

It is not just in QLD ..... it is here in VIC as well. My daughter did it with all her Coke no Sugar cans, and it gave her $7

 

[AlanQ]

It’s a great idea, but did you notice that all the bottles that have a return value have gone up in price at the supermarket

It’s a great idea, we did this as kids to earn pocket money, but have you noticed that all the return bottles have now gone up in price at the supermarket, I guess it’s take from one hand and put into the other.

It's called a deposit scheme, so yes the price went up, you choose to participate in taking empties or leave for some community group to collect. The social group at my retirement village ask those that don't to leave in their collection box, the money made goes towards their end of year social outing.

 

[Barbara V]

WA has had it for awhile

 

[Gsr]

NSW has had it for years. We have a return facility where you feed your cans etc. in yourself and can opt for a voucher, can be used at woolies towards shopping or redeemed for cash at the service desk, or you can choose to donate to a charitable group. There are 2 of these facilities in our town. Some area have a collection point where you can drop off your containers, tell them how many and they give you cash. Yesterday I recycled $34 worth of bottles and cans, opted for vouchers, and today gave the vouchers to my sister who lives in the shed, living below the poverty line on the benefit she gets from the government. It will help her with her groceries. Usually I bank the money in the grandkids trust accounts, but this year I have decided to give it to my sister. Not much, but every little bit helps her. I noticed as soon as it was announced these recycling facilities were going to open up, before they had even got started, the prices in the shops went up on every item that is sold in a recyclable container. Most increased by more than the ten cents you get back.

 

[Suzanne rose]

NSW has had it for awhile now.
Hubby collects the soft drink bottles and water bottles and even some flavoured protein milk bottles , with such a large family he collects around $140 every 3 months. Three of our grown daughters also give him bottles

He used to take them to our drop of machines where you have the choice of 10c refund or a voucher for coles or woolworths.

We now have a guy who comes to the door and gives 9c although the last couple of times he has given 10c . He supplies large white bags and doesn't count the bottles , it's based on good old fashioned trust

So hubby makes around $550 a year on what would have otherwise been thrown out. You do need storage though unless you deposit mire often

 

[Linda24]

In Hamburg Germany when I was travelling in 2017 they had a machine at the front of the supermarket where you deposit the bottles and get a voucher to spend on groceries. There could have been other options but it suited me to use the voucher on food. Why can't Coles and Woolies do the same? They are making record profits.

 

[Suzanne rose]

In Hamburg Germany when I was travelling in 2017 they had a machine at the front of the supermarket where you deposit the bottles and get a voucher to spend on groceries. There could have been other options but it suited me to use the voucher on food. Why can't Coles and Woolies do the same? They are making record profits.

In NSW they do give that option but I think most choose cash

 

[Catherines]

My local Woolworths store in Brisbane has just introduced a Cash for Cans booth at one end of their car park. I don't use very many cans or drink bottles so have not used this at all. My daughter & family (5 in all), when living with us used to collect their cans and use the cash proceeds for their son's soccer team, of whom son-in-law was a coach.

Yes, it might be a case of 'rob from Peter to pay Paul'. But there are hidden costs (thereby profit for a vendor) at every turn of the road.

 

[DLHM]

WA has had it for awhile

I’m sure WA still has it.

 

[Tygie]

The aftermath of a New Year's party can often be a daunting sight, with empty bottles and cans strewn about. But what if you could turn that mess into money?

That's exactly what Queensland's acting Environment Minister urges residents to do, thanks to the state's innovative recycling initiative, Containers For Change.

Launched in 2018, Containers For Change has been a game-changer in the recycling landscape of Queensland.

The program offers a 10-cent refund for each eligible empty drink container returned, turning post-party clean-ups into a lucrative endeavour.

View attachment 38533

The Containers For Change program allows customers to recycle empty bottles for a 10-cent refund. Credit: Containers for Change

'Last year, Queenslanders who participated in Containers For Change received on average $200 in refunds,' said acting Environment Minister Grace Grace.

That's a significant sum, especially when you consider that it's money earned from simply recycling items that would otherwise end up in the trash.

Since its inception, the program has seen an astounding 7.4 billion containers returned, with a total of $740 million paid out in refunds.

The festive season, with its flurry of parties and gatherings, presents an excellent opportunity to take advantage of these refunds.

'The festive season gives a great opportunity to take advantage of these refunds,' Grace said, urging people to ‘cash in’.

But the benefits of Containers For Change aren't limited to the holiday season. The program runs year-round, providing a steady stream of income for those who regularly participate.

CEO of Containers For Change, Natalie Roach, said, ‘As Queenslanders clean up after festive season parties and set their New Year’s resolutions, we are encouraging them to make positive change with their empties.’

'On average, Queenslanders returned more than 5 million containers a day in January 2023, and we want to see this return rate well and truly surpassed in 2024.'

The program recently expanded its list of eligible containers to include glass wine and spirit bottles following an extensive consultation period. This expansion, which took effect in November 2023, also increased the number of return sites to 360, making it even easier for residents to participate.

‘Our decision to include glass wine and pure spirit bottles followed an extensive consultation period, during which more than 6,600 Queenslanders shared their thoughts about including additional containers in the refund program,’ Grace said.

Returning containers is a breeze, with options to suit everyone's needs. You can drop off your containers at drive-through depots, 24-hour bag drops, reverse vending machine kiosks, and mobile services. There's even a free home collection service available in many parts of the state.

Containers for Change also operates in Western Australia, where the initiative says it has ‘hundreds’ of refund points.

In a similar story, Coles supermarkets installed ‘reverse vending machines’, where customers can insert empty drink containers and receive a 10-cent refund instantly.

The refund acts as an incentive for customers to recycle properly rather than throwing containers away. You can read more about Coles’s initiative here.

So, as you clean up after your New Year's festivities, remember that each empty bottle and can could be money in your pocket. Not only will you be helping to keep your surroundings beautiful, but you'll also be rewarded for your efforts. It's a win-win situation!

Key Takeaways

• Queenslanders are being encouraged to earn extra cash by returning their empty drink containers as part of the Containers For Change program.
• The program has paid out $740 million since its inception, with participants receiving an average refund of $200 last year.
• The list of eligible drink containers has been expanded to include glass wine and spirit bottles.
• Many return options are available, including drive-through depots, 24-hour bag drops, reverse vending machine kiosks, mobile services, and free home collection in many areas.

Have you participated in the Containers For Change program? What do you do with the items you cleaned up post-party? Share your experiences in the comments below!

there's not enough places to return them too. In my town theres 2 on one side of town (furthest from me) and then nothing.
I'm trying to find a way to get the latest batch out there to get them in. i had 45-50 bags last time and it cost $30 to get them out there and wait for the refund. This time i'm about 6 months overdue to go out there and have around double the bags and their not little bags either - 54 litre garbage bags crammed with 1.25L to 1.5L and even 2L bottles. Would get them out there regularly only got no transport now to do it as the one i used last time moved away. Plus the area doesn't have any option but to take them out to the depots. So for now i keep gathering.

 

[Mogden]

It is not just in QLD ..... it is here in VIC as well. My daughter did it with all her Coke no Sugar cans, and it gave her $7

SA have had a deposit scheme since 1977