More than 80m containers returned in Queensland CDS

The Queensland Government has labelled its container deposit scheme, Containers for Change, a smash hit after more than 80 million containers have been returned in the first six weeks.

Minister for Environment and the Great Barrier Reef Leeanne Enoch said this was a “phenonmenal result” for the beginning of the scheme.


“This means almost $5m has gone back into Queenslanders’ pockets as well as to our charities, schools, community groups and sporting clubs,” Enoch said.

“This is a phenomenal result, and we have to remember this is just the beginning for Queensland’s Container Refund Scheme, Containers for Change.

“More than 70 000 Queenslanders have also signed up to receive their 10-cent refund on containers and more than 500 jobs been created as a result of the scheme across the state.

“Charities and community groups are also getting involved with over 1000 having registered with the scheme, sharing in the donation of refunds, to support vital community services.

Minister Enoch said that with an average of more than 1.6 million containers being returned every day, there are fewer containers going to landfill, waterways and into our environment as litter.

“Queenslanders use nearly three billion containers every year and sadly they are the second most-commonly littered item in the environment, despite the fact they can be easily recycled,” she said.

“I also have to highlight, and praise efforts of the container refund point operators, which have been outstanding, and the results speak for themselves.

“Many of these operators are small family-run businesses and I want to congratulate these operators for their hard work in getting the refund points up and running and Queenslanders for their support.”

Ken Noye Chief Executive Officer of Container Exchange, the organisation running Containers for Change, said the scheme provides opportunities for schools, charities, community groups and other not-for-profit organisations in the community.

“It provides unprecedented opportunities for these bodies to raise funds for much-needed resources, especially smaller organisations which have to compete for funding in the not-for-profit-sector,” Noye said.

“Queensland will benefit from the new jobs being created around the state to implement and operate the scheme, and that’s good news for people who want to work within the scheme.”