The beverages industry says it will run attack advertising against the Baird government at the March election if NSW cabinet votes to introduce a container deposit recycling scheme.

But environmentalists have accused the industry of bullying and, with Labor understood to be prepared to support container deposit legislation in parliament, any attack may backfire.

Beverage threat: beverage companies have threatened to campaign against the Baird government in the March election. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

A vote on the contentious issue was delayed at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, despite wide support among ministers. The beverages industry will instead be given one month to improve its offer of an alternate scheme to protect marine life from litter.

Geoff Parker of the Australian Beverages Council told The Sun-Herald his group is waiting for a letter from the Baird Government outlining a "wishlist" of industry-funded recycling projects.