The decision by the Berejiklian government to award a major role in the state's container deposit scheme to Coca-Cola Amatil and other companies opposed to it was an act of stupidity, the NSW Greens say.

The program aimed at paying for waste containers will be co-ordinated by the Exchange for Change consortium, which includes big beverage suppliers CCA, Carlton & United Breweries, Asahi, Coopers and Lion Nathan, the government said over the weekend.

TOMRA-Cleanaway will be the network operator of about 800 reverse vending machines to be rolled out across NSW, the first of their kind in Australia. People depositing eligible containers between 150 millilitres and 3 litres will be able to collect 10¢ each, a potential boon for community groups and others.

But Mehreen Faruqi questioned the choice of the winning tender, noting the beverage industry had lobbied hard against the program proposed by former premier Mike Baird.