Tasmania sets start date for container refund scheme

Tasmania will join the recycling efforts of other Australian states with the start of its own container refund scheme.

Recycle Rewards will commence on 1 May 2025, with grants now available to assist small beverage producers to transition to the scheme, including helping with the cost of obtaining barcodes and updating labels.

The scheme will be administered by scheme coordinator, TasRecycle. Refund points are being established and operated by network operator, TOMRA Cleanaway Tasmania.

Under Recycle Rewards, Tasmanians will be able to receive a 10 cent refund for an eligible drink container returned to any one of 49 refund points deployed across the state??? including on King and Flinders islands.

Madeleine Ogilvie, Minister for the Environment, said drink containers make up as much as 45 per cent of Tasmania’s litter.

“Through Recycle Rewards, we hope to reduce that by half and double their recycling rate,” said Ogilvie.

“Recycle Rewards has two goals: to reduce litter and increase recycling, both of which will support the development of our circular economy, an important part of our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future.”

Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association of Australia (WMRR) welcomed the announcement of the scheme’s start date, stating it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to roll out statewide infrastructure.

Gayle Sloan, Chief Executive Officer, WMRR, said Recycle Rewards has the potential to deliver huge environmental and social benefits to the people of Tasmania.

“Industry is excited by the prospect of greater source separation of materials in Tasmania through the scheme, which will enable higher value materials to be recovered, recycled, and reprocessed as inputs into new recycled products,” said Sloan.

“WMRR would encourage the Tasmanian Government to continue down this path and expand the scheme to include other containers as proposed by other Australian jurisdictions as quickly as possible and keep this positive momentum going.”

For more information, https://tasrecycle.com.au/