VICTORIA’S CDS HITS ONE BILLION RETURNS IN FIRST YEAR

Victorians have returned more containers than any other scheme in the country in the first year of the Allan Labor Government’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic) – with a billion containers saved from landfill and $100 million back in the pockets of Victorians and charities.

Minister for Environment Steve Dimopoulos today celebrated the milestone on the one-year anniversary of the CDS Vic at the launch of a new display at Scienceworks that teaches students about the lifecycle of a bottle when returned through the scheme.

Since the scheme started on 1 November last year, more than $950,000 has been raised for charities and
community groups thanks to the outstanding efforts of over 4,200 donation partners.

Victorians are recycling an average of 145 containers per return, with more than 26 million containers deposited the week following the AFL Grand Final – the biggest week of returns on record.

Before CDS Vic was launched, drink containers were one of the most littered items in Victoria. Over the past 12 months alone, a staggering one-third of containers have been saved from landfill and recycled through the scheme.

The CDS has already generated 597 direct jobs in Victoria in its first year.  Of all the containers returned since the scheme started, around 50 percent have been aluminium, 30 percent plastic and 17 percent glass – these containers are sorted and recycled into new bottles or other products.

To mark this achievement, CDS Vic has created a ‘Message in a Bottle’ installation at Scienceworks, featuring messages from Victorian primary students inside 320 recycled bottles that highlight the importance of recycling.

Open from 1 November 2024 to 27 January 2025, families are invited to visit the new display and learn more about the process of recycling containers returned through CDS Vic.

It has never been easier to help keep waste out of landfill and litter out of the environment, with Victorians encouraged to continue to recycle their eligible drink containers at any one of the 657 convenient and accessible deposit points across the state.

The Labor Government is driving recycling in Victoria, backed by a $515 million investment to transform the state’s waste and recycling industry – creating more jobs in new industries, cutting waste to landfill, and maximising the value of precious resources.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Environment Steve Dimopoulos “Victorians have gone gangbusters for our Container Deposit Scheme – saving one billion containers from landfill, putting $100 million back in their pockets and making it the number one scheme in the country.”

“There are lots of things to celebrate on the one year of this scheme that gives back to the community, creates local jobs, teaches kids about recycling and safeguards our environment.”

Top 10 metro refund points:

CDS Vic Depot Sale operated by Tambo Recycling Centre (9.5 million)

CDS Vic Depot Williamstown operated by Citizen Blue (40 million)

CDS Vic Depot Melton operated by KARI (29.6 million)

CDS Vic Depot Hallam operated by Return-it (20.8 million)

CDS Vic Depot Pakenham operated by Return-it (14.1 million)

CDS Vic Depot Carrum Downs operated by Nu Container Recycling (12.6 million)

CDS Vic Depot Keysborough operated by Return-it (11.4 million)

CDS Vic Depot Braeside operated by Nu Container Recycling (10.7 million)

CDS Vic Depot Frankston operated by Return-it (10.6 million)

CDS Vic Depot Oakleigh operated by Return-it (10.4 million)

CDS Vic Depot Clyde North operated by Hoxton Industries (9.9 million)
Top 10 regional refund points:

CDS Vic Depot Mildura operated by Exchange Depot (19.8 million)

CDS Vic Depot Shepparton operated by FOOTT (18 million)

CDS Vic Depot East Bendigo operated by Envirobank (12.6 million)

CDS Vic Depot Kangaroo Flat operated by Envirobank (12.1 million)

CDS Vic Depot Lucknow operated by Tambo Recycling Centre (10.2 million)

CDS Vic Depot Ballarat South operated by McCallum (10.1 million)

CDS Vic Depot Morwell operated by Latrobe Valley Enterprises (10 million)

CDS Vic Depot Wangaratta operated by Exchange Depot (9.9 million)

CDS Vic Depot Wodonga operated by Exchange Depot (9.7 million)