New Way to Exchange Containers

Tablelands Regional Council has recently installed 20 new waste bin basket attachments in Atherton and Yungaburra as part of a Containers for Change outdoor recycling initiative.

Container Exchange Points are a convenient way for people to leave their eligible beverage containers in a basket to be collected by others in exchange for the 10-cent refund through Containers for Change.

Tablelands Regional Council is one of the first councils in Queensland to sign up to this outdoor recycling initiative, which helps keep litter out of our public spaces and increases the amount of 10-cent refunds claimed by the community.

‘I’m really excited about this program and proud to be one of the first councils in Queensland to install the Container Exchange Points,’ said Councillor Con Spanos.

‘The baskets have been installed on bins Atherton and Yungaburra and are a convenient way for people to leave their eligible drink containers be collected by any person in exchange for the 10-cent refund.

‘The containers are available for individual recyclers and community groups to collect.

‘This means there are fewer containers going to landfill and more 10-cent refunds going back into the community.

‘I’m hoping the trial in Atherton and Yungaburra works out well and we can roll out the program to other locations and towns in the region.’

The Container Exchange Points are provided for free by Container Exchange (COEX), the not-for-profit organisation that runs Containers for Change, and are manufactured by two Brisbane-based social enterprises.

COEX Chief Executive Officer Natalie Roach said trials in 12 other Queensland councils showed the attachments were frequently emptied by avid recyclers and made container collection safer for community members.

‘Last year there were 9.8 million beverage containers returned in the Tablelands Regional Council area through the Containers for Change scheme, which put almost $1 million back into the pockets of locals,’ Ms Roach said.

‘Container Exchange Points make it easy to people to recycle their eligible beverage containers while out-and-about, and help protect our beautiful environment from litter.

‘We would love to see these in every park, beach and public space across the state to ensure no container goes to waste in Queensland.’

Visit the Containers for Change website to find your nearest container refund point.