Container Deposit Schemes (CDS) focus on the ‘polluter pays’ principle, where the industry responsible for creating a certain type of waste takes responsibility for managing that waste. In the case of beverage bottles, this involves providing collection recycling points for specific types of beverage containers, where the public can earn a refund for returned bottles, cans and cartons. It is also an example of product stewardship legislation in which the beverage industry is taking greater responsibility for its packaging after it has been sold.
Choose your actions!
CDS is a great way to recycle your beverage containers for three reasons:
- Cleaner recycling stream: It gives your containers the best chance of being recycled because there is less chance of different materials being mistakenly mixed in. The materials collected are sorted efficiently, producing a high quality, clean product that has a strong market value. Thus it has a better chance of saving energy, water and resources.
- Educates kids: It’s a great way to educate kids about recycling and get them to do their bit for their community, while also giving them the chance to earn a bit of pocket money. And if you don’t need the extra cash, you can give it away to a charity or not-for-profit organisation.
- Reduces litter: The proportion of beverage containers littered on the coasts of Australia is 40% lower in states with CDS. Before the introduction of CDS in NSW beverage containers made up almost half of litter, but NSW EPA reported a reduction of 57% in littered beverage containers this year.
For more information about the container deposit scheme in your state check out RecyclingNearYou.