Small businesses who registered to be over-the-counter collection points for the NSW CDS are deserting the scheme in droves.
Within a month of the scheme launching, a survey conducted by NSW Labor found almost one in five participants in the Container Deposit Scheme had withdrawn or were in the process of doing so.
The businesses had been experiencing problems reported the following issues:
>> An inability to cope with the influx of people wanting to drop off containers
>> An inability to store the large number of containers
>> An inability to keep containers clean
>> A constant interruption to their primary business
>> A failure by the operator to deliver storage bins.
Over January, many more businesses have also pulled the plug.
The Hotel Tudor in Woodberry cancelled their over-the-counter collection service last week, temporarily leaving the electorate of Maitland without a single collection point.
The decision came within a month of the Tenambit Takeaway also quitting the service, citing issues with rubbish pickup by Return and Earn contractors TOMRA-Cleanaway, and a week after a reverse vending machine at Kurri Golf Club was shut down due to noise complaints about the truck pick-ups.
The NSW Environmental Protection Agency has since announced the area will get a Return and Earn reverse vending machine in February.
Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison has been scathing about the rollout of the scheme in the Hunter. Currently, the Lower Hunter has two collection points currently operating – a reverse vending machine at Cessnock Woolworths and an over-the-counter collection point at the Huntlee Academy at North Rothbury.
“I want to make sure the [new] site they pick is easily accessible, that it doesn’t cause noise issues and that it’s emptied regularly,” she told The Maitland Mercury.
Aitcihson added she had heard of the areas around vending machines becoming “rubbish tips” due to unaccepted bottles and cans being dumped at the sites.
On Sydney’s northern beaches, the number of businesses taking part in the CDS has plummeted by one-third.
Dissatisfied business owners are complaining about poor planning, lack of support and losing money.
Manager of the IGA Supermarket at Allambie Heights, Adam Berry told The Daily Telegraph his business only lasted three weeks.
“People were bringing in loads of bottles but a lot of them were absolutely filthy,” he said. “There were cockroaches and insects crawling out of them into our storeroom, which is not great when you have hygiene regulations.
“We were paying out the refunds, but the staff didn’t have enough time to properly check the containers so we ended up losing money.”
Berry said a contractor was supposed to collect the bottles each day, but only turned up once a week, leading to an unmanageable stockpile of dirty containers.
Murray River Council complains about negative CDS impact
The Murray River Council put a motion to council last week to write to the NSW Government regarding the negative impacts of the CDS on cross-border towns like Echuca-Moama.
Councillor Neil Gorey told The Riverine Herald: ‘‘Retailers and pubs and businesses are going across the border to purchase their alcohol and drinks to then bring back across to NSW.
‘‘People are getting out of the levy by shopping in Echuca.
‘‘It defeats the purpose of the whole scheme and it will continue to have an impact on our border towns.’’
Gorey added that travelling the distance will justify the savings.
‘‘People are already doing it and we need to let the government know about the impacts on border towns,’’ he said.
The council will request that the NSW Government acknowledge the negative impacts on NSW retailers as a result of the cross border issues created by the scheme. They also request the NSW Government actively consult with the Victorian Government and encourage their government also participate in the container scheme, so as to eliminate the cross border impacts.
ALDI still to pass on cost impact to customers
While levies have been placed on cartons of beer in NSW under the NSW CDS, The Border Mail reports that a carton of Victoria Bitter was on sale for $44.99 at Albury and Wodonga Aldi stores this week.
A spokesman for the German chain told the newspaper prices would have to rise in Albury.
“Alcohol retail prices will need to be increased at some stage due to the additional costs imposed by the NSW container deposit scheme,” he said.
“To date, Aldi has not passed on these costs via increased retails but has instead chosen to absorb them over the busy Christmas and summer period, thus providing better value for our customers over this time.”
