NSW cash for can scheme pushed back

February 16, 2017
NTNews

The NSW government has delayed the start of its container deposit scheme by five months following requests from environment groups and industry bodies.

Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton says the scheme – paying 10 cents for every bottle or can that is recycled – will now be rolled out from December 1.

The move comes after the nation’s volunteer clean-up group released figures this week showing NSW litterbugs are throwing out drink bottles in droves. 

Beverage container rubbish rose 1.5 per cent in 2016 and made up more than one-third of Clean Up Australia’s total garbage count. 

For the first time, soft drink cans were among the top 10 most discarded items.

Ms Upton said Clean Up Australia and the Boomerang Alliance, along with industry stakeholders, wanted the extension to ensure the container deposit scheme was a world-leading program from day one.

However, the scheme – to be funded by beverage suppliers – has faced opposition from convenience store operators, who have called for its delay.

The Australasian Association of Convenience Stores believes consumers are largely unaware of the scheme and there are still too many “unknowns”.

http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/breaking-news/nsw-cash-for-can-scheme-pushed-back/news-story/987c185ab31321e0619cac0117810af1