Tasmania’s new container deposit scheme hits million milestone in four days

The Tasmanian government has celebrated the uptake of the state’s new container deposit scheme, with a million containers returned in the first four days.

According to a statement from environment minister Madeleine Ogilvie on Tuesday, the milestone was reached at a refund point within Bridgewater’s Cove Hill Precinct.

“I thank Tasmanians for getting behind Recycle Rewards and giving back to the environment and community,” Ogilvie said.

“Recycle Rewards rewards Tasmanians for doing the right thing, ensuring that litter is recycled and doesn’t go into landfill, or the environment where it can hurt our wildlife.

Recycle Rewards offers ten cents per eligible container. It is run by scheme coordinator TasRecycle in partnership with network operator TOMRA Cleanaway.

More than 1.2 million deposits had been made by the end of the day on Sunday, with 594,253 made in the South; 405,765 in the North; and 206,211 in the North West and West Coast combined.

Of the total, 62 per cent were aluminium, 25 per cent plastic, 12 per cent glass, and one per cent liquid paper board.

Picture: credit TOMRA Cleanaway