Container Exchanges on Public Bins
Contributed by Waste Action Maleny
You may have noticed attachments on the sides of many public bins for 10c exchange bottles and cans. This encourages the recycling of eligible cans and bottles through the Containers for Change program. It also reduces the chance of recyclable bottles and cans being thrown into general waste bins and ending up in landfill.
The container exchanges also give the community a chance to pay it forward by providing an easy way to collect eligible bottles and cans for 10c refunds, without collectors having to rummage through bins to find them.
How does it work?
Place empty bottles or cans in the attachment on a public bin. Anyone can collect the bottles and cans (for themselves or a community group) and take them to a Containers for Change depot (e.g., Beerwah, Caloundra). There they are put on conveyor belts, counted, and exchanged for cash, or paid into a nominated account (personal or a community group of choice).
Alternatively, collectors can organise a pick-up from home. For information on local refund depots and details on how the scheme works, visit www.containersforchange.com.au/qld.
