Return and Earn Update

November 2017 #3

Welcome to the latest edition of Return and Earn Update, designed to keep you informed about the NSW Container Deposit Scheme, as well as opportunities in the lead up to the scheme’s commencement on 1 December 2017. With only a short time to go before the scheme’s commencement date we have some exciting developments to keep you up to date.

Return and Earn News

Refund marking finalised

Details of the refund mark that will be required on all eligible beverage container labels in the market by 1 December 2019 have now been finalised following the publishing of the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery (Container Deposit Scheme) Amendment Regulation 2017.

Specifically, beverage suppliers must ensure the label on all eligible containers they supply has the words 10c refund at collection depots/points in participating State/Territory of purchase in clear and legible characters by 1 December 2019.

In addition to the refund marking, eligible containers will need to have a barcode. The specification for the required barcode are set out in detail in the Regulation.

The NSW Government has agreed to phase in this requirement over the next 24 months to enable beverage suppliers to run through their existing stock. This means that beverage suppliers will need to ensure the refund marking words and barcode appear on labels of all eligible containers by 24 November 2019.

Specific details about barcode requirements and about the Regulation amendment are available online here:

https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/regulations/2017-650.pdf

PayPal joins Return and Earn scheme

Return and Earn’s Network Operator TOMRA Cleanaway has partnered with online payments provider PayPal to deliver a convenient and secure payment from reverse vending machine collection points when the electronic payment option is selected.

Scheme users can opt to have electronic funds deposited into a registered PayPal account via the myTOMRA app, which can be downloaded for free from Google Play or the iTunes App. To link your PayPal account simply open the myTOMRA app and follow the prompts.

Once you have linked your PayPal account, scan your unique barcode from the myTOMRA app at the RVM to log in. Place your containers in the RVM one at a time, then select PayPal on screen. Your refund will be transferred to your PayPal account in moments.

A video demonstrating how to use the PayPal refund option can be found here: https://vimeo.com/241989816

Collection points update

Users of Return and Earn will be able to redeem containers at three different kinds of collection points – reverse vending machines, over-the-counter manual sites and automated depots. Collection points will accept all eligible containers.

More than 200 collection points are now available online ahead of Friday’s launch. Visit www.returnandearn.org.au to learn more.

Reverse vending machines (RVM) For convenience, these sites are best suited for redeeming up to 500 containers at once and will operate 7am to 10pm.

RVM users can opt to receive their refund by:

1. Electronic funds transfer into a registered PayPal account after scanning the myTOMRA app from your smartphone

2. Electing to donate your refund to a listed donation partner on the machine

3. Collecting a receipt that you can exchange for cash or in-store credit at the retail partner listed on the machine eg Woolworths or IGA.

Donation Stations are a smaller type of reverse

vending machine that only delivers a donation to a charity, not a refund to the user. They accept plastic, aluminium and steel eligible drink Published by the NSW Environment Protection Authority. Phone: (02) 9995 5000 (switchboard). Phone 131 555 (environment information & publications requests). Email: info@environment.nsw.gov.au. Website: www.epa.nsw.gov.au. Report pollution and environmental incidents: Environment Line: 131 555 (NSW only) or info@environment.nsw.gov.au. September 2017.

containers and will be located at various iconic sites across NSW.

Over-the-counter manual sites will be typically located at retail or shopfront outlets and for convenience are best suited for up to 100 containers.

You can exchange your empty eligible containers with the person behind the counter for a cash refund.

Automated depots will be typically located at larger facilities and for convenience are best suited for redeeming larger numbers of containers ie over 500 containers.

More and more collection points are being finalised every day right across NSW. To find your closest one, go to the online map at returnandearn.org.au.

Donation partners announcement

The first donation partners of Return and Earn have been announced as The Cancer Council, St Vincent de Paul, Surf Life Saving NSW and Planet Ark. From 1 December these groups will feature on reverse vending machines across the state so that people can choose to donate these groups their refunds.

There are opportunities for other interested groups, large and small, to become donation partners and feature on the machines under a rotation system.

Charities, community and sporting groups, schools and other not-for-profit organisations can visit www.returnandearn.org.au to learn how to register their interest.

Have your say

Below are answers to a variety of questions emailed to the CDS Implementation Team.

How can I use the Scheme to raise funds for my community group?

Return and Earn will provide a fundraising opportunity for charities, schools, community and sporting groups.

As well as registering to become a donation partner (as explained above) groups can also encourage their community to collect and donate eligible drink containers that the groups can then redeem for the refund at an approved collection point.

Charities, community groups and social enterprises can also work with the Network Operator, TOMRA Cleanaway, to set up and run collection points in exchange for a service fee.

My container doesn’t have a NSW refund marking on it. Is it still eligible?

Containers should be empty, uncrushed, unbroken, and have the original label intact. The eligibility of beverage containers generally aligns with containers that are eligible under the SA or NT schemes. Many will therefore have the SA or NT scheme refund marking; The NSW labelling will come in gradually by 1 December 2019.

Need more information?

If I have questions who can I talk to?

For Supplier information

contact Exchange for Change on:

Phone 1800 813 887

Email info@exchangeforchange.com.au

Web: www.returnandearn.org.au

For Regulatory information

Contact the NSW EPA on:

Phone 131555

Email: container.deposit@epa.nsw. gov.au

(Scheme enquiries)

Web: www.epa.nsw.gov.au

For Collection Point information

Contact TOMRA Cleanaway on

Phone: 1800 290 691 Email: enquiries@tcnsw.com.au

Web: http://www.tcnsw.com.au/