Moranbah residents have greater convenience in recycling with the launch of the town’s first depot-style refund point through the Containers for Change scheme.
Return-It Moranbah launched this morning, with locals already accessing the drive through depot on O’Neill Street to claim their recycling refunds.
The Containers for Change scheme exchanges 10 cents for every eligible beverage container returned to a registered Container Refund Point (CRP) in Queensland.
The region has shown its eagerness for recycling, with more than 140 million containers returned since the scheme began in late 2018.
That has equated to $14 million in refunds collected by local residents, charities, community groups and businesses within the wider Mackay region.
Previously only serviced by a ‘bag drop’ facility, the Moranbah depot will allow recyclers to return containers from the comfort of their car, have them counted and receive their refund either immediately by cash or through EFT.
Customers will still be able to ‘drop and go’ by leaving their containers in a bag drop area for counting, with their refund paid through EFT. Residents can also still use the existing bag drop on Mills Avenue to return containers.
Ken Noye is the chief executive of Container Exchange, the not-for-profit organisation that administers the Containers for Change scheme. He said one of the key aims of the scheme is to provide greater convenience for Queenslanders.
“This addition of a drive-through depot will provide Moranbah residents with greater choice and accessibility to recycling containers,” said Mr Noye.
“Together we are making a positive impact on the environment and local communities, but there is more work to do.
“The Containers for Change scheme has an ambitious target of collecting 85% of all eligible beverage containers sold by June 2022.
“With approximately one billion containers still ending up in landfill or the environment, that equates to more than $100 million in refunds still available to the community, charity groups and businesses.”
This is the second opening of a drive-through depot in the Mackay region this month after a CRP was opened in the Mackay Harbour area on May 4.
For more information on the Containers for Change scheme, visit www.containersforchange.com.au/qld
Media contact:
m: 0408 915 422
e: media@containerexchange.com.au
