A development application for a modern recycling depot at 9 Counihan Road, Seventeen Mile Rocks has been lodged. The facility is expected to be finished before the Container Refund Scheme goes live on 1 November.
According to TOMRA, they have taken lease of the said property for the re-use and fit-out of the existing building tenancy. There will be no increase in gross floor area or changes to ground or floors levels.
Proposed site
Proposed plan
The project will involve the reuse of the existing building for the purpose of a Container Refund Depot. Beginning 1 November 2018, all CRS eligible beverages sold will include in part, a 10c deposit. This deposit can be redeemed at any Container Refund Point. Refund points are the sites where residents can return their eligible empty beverage containers for a refund of ten cents for each container. The returned beverage containers are then collected for recycling.
TOMRA is one of the designated refund point operators. TOMRA’s modern depot will be managed by an on-site supervisor and will be supported by a QLD based operations team. “TOMRA will also have several specially trained technicians, to complete all required machinery maintenance or attend any malfunction or breakdown. These technicians can be at all proposed QLD Modern Depots within 3 hours, ensuring minimum downtime.” according to development proposal lodged by TOMRA.
To further assist with addressing technical faults, TOMRA will also implement a live monitoring of each individual RVM and bulk sorting machine. This ensures that any fault or complaint received will receive prompt action from a QLD-based TOMRA employee, or in some cases, remotely rectified
About the Container Refund Scheme
By incentivising consumers to return their empty beverage containers, the Container Refund Scheme or “Containers for Change,” aims to reduce the amount of plastic waste from container litter through recycling.
Video credit: Containers for Change /YouTube
“There will be a range of different type of refund point options such as permanent depot-style points, bag drops and reverse vending machines,” according to the Minister for Environment Leeanne Enoch.
“Some container refund points will be mobile and use the ‘pop up’ concept to ensure the reach of our scheme extends into regional and remote areas.
“By providing a range of convenient and accessible refund point solutions more Queenslanders will be able to participate in and benefit from the scheme,” Ms Enoch said.
Implementing Organisation and Operator
Container Exchange (CoEx), the Government-appointed Product Responsibility Organisation (PRO) for the CRS, will implement a total of 230 refund points across the state by the 1st of November.
TOMRA is one of the official operators of the Container Refund Scheme. They are expected to operate a total of 10 refund points which will be located in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba areas.
TOMRA Reverse Vending Machine
“Each depot will be equipped with 9 to 12 TOMRA reverse vending machines, a bag-drop option and TOMRA’s Bulk Collection Systems to handle returns of large numbers of containers. The popular myTOMRA app will also provide opportunity for electronic payout of recycling refunds and details on depot locations and opening hours,” TOMRA’s website said.
The RVM and Bag Drop options provide a refund to the customer. Refund can be through electronic payment or printed voucher. A customer may opt to donate to a charity as well. This means all TOMRA depots operate on a cashless basis.
How to Participate in Containers for Change
To participate, consumers should follow four key steps:
- Collect eligible containers
- Create your scheme account
- Take your containers to a refund point
- Collect your refund or make a donation
Excluded Beverage Containers
Generally excluded containers are those that are less than 150ml and greater than 3L. Other excluded containers include:
- Any plain milk containers
- Any glass containers which have contained wine or pure spirits
- Containers 1L or more which have contained flavoured milk, pure fruit or vegetable juice, cask wine or cask water
- Concentrated/undiluted cordial or syrup containers
- Sachets above 250ml which have contained wine
- Registered health tonics
Plain milk bottles, glass wine bottles, and other excluded containers that can still be recycled may be dropped off at existing kerbside collection or drop-off services.
For information regarding eligible containers and for more updates, you may check the Containers for Change or Containers Exchange website.
9 Counihan Road, Seventeen Mile Rocks