Container Deposit Scheme

Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic) is set to start on 1 November 2023.  

The scheme will reward Victorians with a 10-cent refund for every eligible can, carton and bottle they return. 

CDS Vic is part of the State Government’s new reforms to the waste and recycling sector and will provide shared benefits to the community, environment and economy by delivering: 

  • more and better recycling 

  • less waste - old containers become new ones 

  • less litter - cut by up to half 

  • hundreds of new jobs and economic opportunities across Victoria 

  • a cleaner, greener state.

Return-it are responsible for establishing collection points and collecting eligible containers across the Baw Baw Shire. Visit the Return-it website for any enquiries and the most up to date information.

How will the Container Deposit Scheme work? 

  • You purchase a drink. 

  • You return your empty drink container to a refund collection point.  

  • You receive a 10-cent refund for every eligible container you return. You can choose to keep the funds or donate to a participating charity, community group, environmental group, educational organisation or sports group. 

  • Your returned container is given a new lease on life. The material is recycled and remanufactured into a new product, saving it from landfill or littering the environment. 

CDS-How-It-Works.jpg l 

Which containers will be eligible for refund?  

CDS Vic will target beverage containers that most commonly contribute to litter and are often consumed away from home.  These include plastic soft drink bottles, glass beer and soft drink bottles, small fruit juice and flavoured milk cartons, along with soft drinks and alcohol sold in cans. 

Eligible containers include:

  • Most beverage containers (between 150ml and 3L) made from:
    • Aluminium
    • Plastic bottles
    • Glass bottles
    • Steel bottles/cans
    • Paperboard cartons (ie Fruit juice boxes & flavoured milk under 1L)

Ineligible containers include:

  • Wine bottles
  • Spirit bottles
  • Milk containers
  • Paperboard cartons (over 1L)
  • Cordial bottles

Who will run the scheme?

Return-it are the Network Operator and are responsible for establishing and maintaining refund collection points across Baw Baw Shire.

Visit the Return-it website to gain further information or to answer your frequently asked questions.

All additional enquiries can be sent to: info@returnit.com.au 

Where will I be able to return my drink containers?  

There will be many convenient and accessible locations to return your empty drink containers. Closer to scheme commencement, Return-it will provide information on the location and types of refund collection points available in Baw Baw Shire on their website. 

For more information

Council will provide further updates when available, or you can visit https://www.vic.gov.au/container-deposit-scheme or Return-it.

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