Scroll down for the Minister’s response, or click here to discover more about how we’re working for Wendouree.

Original constituency question from Juliana Addison MP to Parliament –

My constituency question is for the Minister for Environment. What are the benefits of our government’s $515 million investment into the container deposit scheme (CDS) for the Wendouree electorate?

I am so pleased that the Victorian container deposit scheme has started. From yesterday, 1 November, Victorians can return eligible drink cans, bottles and cartons for a 10-cent refund. This refund can be kept or, importantly, donated to Victorian charities, schools, sporting and community groups that have registered for the scheme, which is great news indeed.

Further, this scheme will also be transformative for Victoria’s waste and recycling system by reducing litter and diverting drink cans, bottles and cartons away from landfill to be recycled, in doing so saving the planet and creating jobs.

I look forward to hearing from the minister and learning more about how CDS Vic’s accessible beverage recycling scheme will make Ballarat an even better place to live.

Response from the Hon. Steve Dimopoulos MP, Minister for Environment (2 April 2024) –

Victoria’s container deposit scheme, CDS Vic, commenced on 1 November 2023 and is a central part of ambitious reforms to transform Victoria’s recycling system under the Victorian Government’s circular economy policy. CDS Vic will maximise the recycling of drink containers by rewarding Victorians with a 10-cent refund for every eligible container they return to a refund collection point.

On the first day of the scheme, 392 refund points were open and over 1 million containers were returned by Victorians. You’ll start to see more and more refund points appearing all over the state in the coming months, as we work towards implementing more than 600 refund points across Victoria by August 2024. Once fully rolled out, reverse vending machines are expected to make up about half of the refund points across the state.

CDS Vic provides shared benefits to the community in Wendouree and across the state, to the environment and the 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
• opportunities for charities, community groups, environmental organisations, sports and educational organisations to raise funds
  a cleaner, greener state.

Watch and read more of my speeches to Parliament here, including responses from ministers on how we’re working for Wendouree.