Exchange trash for money | SAIGON LIBERATION NEWSPAPER

SGGP 09/11/2023 06:00

Items that were previously thrown into the family's recycling bin are now becoming useful to residents of Victoria, Australia, through the state government's recycling program.

A resident of Victoria arrives at a recycling collection point.

Tracey Cheshire from Wodonga brought two large bags of empty cans and bottles to the recycling station. “I opened Facebook and the ad for the program popped up. I’ll transfer the money I get to the social club account where I work,” Tracey said. Since the beginning of November, the Victorian government has been implementing a recycling program with the goal of reducing the state’s waste by 50%.

Accordingly, residents of the state can bring recyclable cans, bottles, and beverage containers to collection points to receive 10 cents per item. People can check which types of waste are eligible for cashback on the program's website. They can choose to receive the cash back, transfer it to a bank account, receive discount vouchers for purchases, or donate the money to a charity or community group affiliated with the program.

After collection, the waste is sorted and then sent to recycling centers, transforming discarded items into new usable products. Damien Woolford, Director of Exchange Depot, who is responsible for operating the exchange points in the Northeast of Victoria, says that with this simple process, all waste made from aluminum, plastic, glass, or polyethylene can be easily recycled. “Many sports clubs in other states have joined the program to raise funds for new uniforms and equipment, or community groups have donated to various initiatives,” Woolford said.

In fact, Victoria implemented its waste-for-money program later than many other states. In South Australia, the program has been in operation since 1977 with a refund rate of up to 77%. New South Wales implemented it from the end of 2017, and Queensland from the end of 2018, with a refund rate of over 60%... According to ABC News, since New South Wales implemented the program, people from many places outside the state have also brought recyclable waste to exchange for money.

According to Victoria's Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos, the state government has learned a great deal from the experiences of other states to implement the program more effectively. “You can see this clearly by comparison. New South Wales had 292 exchange locations on the first day of the program's launch, while we had 392. The goal was to have as many exchange locations as possible.”

Authorities hope that within nine months of the program's launch, at least one collection point can be established for every urban area with 14,500 inhabitants, one for every rural area with 750 inhabitants, and one for every town with 350 inhabitants in remote areas. By August 2024, Victoria expects to have approximately 600 recycling points. Steve Dimopoulos hopes the program will contribute to a more sustainable future while also providing some income for residents.

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