Magnetic Island residents, businesses and community groups have a new way to recycle their eligible containers and earn 10-cent refunds, with a new Containers for Change depot opening at the Magnetic Island Transfer Station.
Operated by local business Pilchers Recycling, the new service opens on Monday, 9 November as National Recycling Week gets underway, providing island residents with greater access to Queensland’s container refund scheme.
The refund point has been delivered through a partnership between Townsville City Council and Container Exchange (COEX), the not-for-profit organisation that runs Containers for Change. A second refund point, a bag drop at Horseshoe Bay Skate Park, is also due to open later this year.
Trevor Evans, CEO at COEX, thanked Townsville City Council for their support of the scheme and its expansion on the island.
“The people of Magnetic Island are passionate recyclers who are committed to keeping containers out of landfill and using the 10-cent refund to raise funds for important local causes,” Mr Evans said.
“We thank the Townsville City Council and Pilchers Recyclers for helping provide this important service to the island and look forward to the environmental, social and economic benefits it will deliver.”
Mayor Nick Dametto said the arrangement was a huge win for the island community, which had a strong track record of environmental stewardship.
“Magnetic Island residents are some of Townsville’s best recyclers so it’s fitting the new depot will open during National Recycling Week,” Cr Dametto said.
“We know island residents were disappointed when the former operator closed last year, so it’s great to see Containers for Change returning with a reliable, convenient solution for the community.
“Residents will soon be able to access both the new exchange depot at the Magnetic Island Transfer Station and a container deposit facility at Horseshoe Bay.”
Pilchers Recycling General Manager Stephen Pilcher said the team was excited to start collecting containers at their new permanent home on the island.
“For the past year we’ve been travelling to and from the island to provide residents and charities access to Containers for Change,” Mr Pilcher said.
“This new Drop N Go Service will provide locals with much greater convenience and allow us to recover significantly more containers from Magnetic Island. We will be able to give back more to the community in refunds, local employment and recycling outcomes.”
Townsville City Council residents recycled more than 92 million eligible containers through Containers for Change in the past 12 months, putting $9.2 million in 10-cent refunds back into the local community.
The council is also expanding its network of Container Exchange Points to Magnetic Island, attachments to public bins that provide a dedicated place for people to leave eligible drink containers for another person to collect and claim the 10-cent refund. More than 50 container collection points are currently available along The Strand and Jezzine Barracks.
To find your nearest container refund point, visit www.containersforchange.com.au.
Media Contact:
m | 0408 915 422
e | media@containerexchange.com.au
