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Things that were previously thrown away in household recycling bins are now useful to residents of Victoria, Australia, who have joined the state government's recycling-for-cash program.
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| A Victorian resident arrives at a recycling collection point. |
Tracey Cheshire, from Wodonga, brought two large bags of cans and bottles to the recycling station. “I opened Facebook and the ad popped up. I’ll be transferring the money I earn to the social club where I work,” she said. The Victorian government launched the recycling cash-for-recycling program in early November, with the goal of reducing the state’s waste by 50%.
Residents can bring in eligible cans, bottles, and beverage containers to a collection point and receive 10 cents per can. Residents can check which types of trash are eligible for rebates on the program’s website. They can choose to receive cash or bank deposits, receive a coupon for purchases, or donate the money to a charity or community group affiliated with the program.
Once collected, the waste is sorted and sent to recycling centres, where it is turned into usable items. Exchange Depot manager Damien Woolford, who runs the exchange points in north-east Victoria, said the simple process meant that anything made from aluminium, plastic, glass or polyethylene could be easily recycled. “Many other state sporting clubs have joined the program to raise funds for new uniforms and equipment, and community groups have raised money for various initiatives,” Mr Woolford said.
In fact, Victoria has been slower to implement its trash-for-cash program than many other states. In South Australia, the program has been in place since 1977, with a 77% return rate for trash. New South Wales has been implementing it since late 2017, and Queensland since late 2018, with a return rate of more than 60%... According to ABC News, since New South Wales launched the program, people from many places outside the state have also brought in recyclable trash to exchange for money.
According to Victorian Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos, the state government has learned a lot from the experiences of other states to better implement the program. “You can compare it to see this clearly. NSW had 292 redemption points on the first day of the program, while we had 392. How to have as many redemption points as possible.”
Authorities hope to establish at least one collection point for every metropolitan area with a population of 14,500 within nine months of the program’s launch, one for every rural area with a population of 750, and one for every remote town with a population of 350. By August 2024, Victoria is expected to have around 600 recycling collection points. Steve Dimopoulos hopes the program will contribute to a more sustainable future while also generating some additional income for residents.
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