The NSW government is claiming victory in the NSW CDS debate, with five million bottles and cans being returned through NSW’s container deposit scheme in the program’s first two weeks.
There are now 281 collection points – the majority in Sydney – to claim 10 cents for each bottle or can.
On average 400,000 containers have been returned each day since the scheme began on December 1.
Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton says the program has reached an “important milestone” with many more collection points to open in coming weeks.
However, small businesses remain critical of what they say has been a “botched” roll out of the scheme, while many Return & Earn machines are creating litter problems rather than solving them.
Small business still battling
Over-the-counter collection points such as petrol stations and cafes are struggling to cope with the demands on their business from the scheme.
A survey conducted by NSW Labor has found almost one in five participants in the Container Deposit Scheme have withdrawn or are in the process of doing so.
Businesses 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.
Bathurst, for example, only has one over-the-counter collection point at Metro Petroleum in South Bathurst. Owner Raja Kallem told the Bathurst Advocate he has received little assistance or collection materials from the government.
He has accepted 12,000 bottles for Return and Earn and given out $1200 in cash refunds from from his “own pocket” to customers.
“Until now I’ve received a single payment [of $100]. I’m out of pocket,” he said.
He said the demands on his staff from the business were proving problematic and resulted in fuel customers being kept waiting while staff processed refunds.
“It’s very hard for me to run the business with this,” he said.
The bottles and cans are being kept in a large shipping container next to the petrol station, but it is full with no indication of a collection time, so he’s been forced to stop taking any more empties.
Trash piling up around Return & Earn machines
While the NSW CDS was designed to reduce litter in the state, many critics say it’s actually creating a trash problem.
People are dumping cardboard boxes they use to carry their bottles there, and are also discarding bottles that are ineligible for a refund.
Former Independent candidate for Eden Monaro Andrew Thaler posted a Facebook video about the Nowra station revealing the ineffectiveness of the scheme on Saturday.
“What we have now, is people are taking items that are inelligible for recycling, and leaving them in the Woolworths trolleys, there’s rubbish, broken glass,” Thaler said.
“This machine here now says assistance required, and there’s no one here to give assistance, there’s a line up to use the machine beside it.
“It’s a second-rate inefficient system that creates waste everywhere.”
Premier defends scheme
Premier Gladys Berejiklian has told Miranda Devine’s radio show that she anticipated backlash.
“I’m confident, as the next few months are bedded down — people will warm to it,” she said. “We knew the first few couple of months would be rocky — but I’m confident those challenges will dissipate.
“As a kid we had cash for cans and I remember collecting cans for pocket money as a little Brownie.
“This is just the start – the scheme will make a massive difference by reducing litter in our environment.”
Collection points include reverse vending machines, over-the-counter sites such as petrol stations and cafes and automated depots for high-volume returns.
Centre that employs disabled workers hit by “thefts”
There are concerns in Glen Innes that the CDS has provoked “thefts” from council, yellow-lid recycling bins. Enterprising residents are scavenging in the bins for bottles and cans to take to the Return & Earn machine.
Local business man, Brian Orvad, told the Glen Innes Examiner: “At dusk the other night, when my dog started to bark at someone in the street, I went to the window and saw outside people going through the yellow-lid bin”.
He wants to know if that is theft?
Bottles and cans in the council bins go to Glen Industries which sorts them and sells them to recycling centres.
However, if Glen Industries – which employs disabled people – doesn’t get the material, it can’t sell it on.
