MINISTERS MUST ACT ON CONTAINER DEPOSIT PLUSES

Tuesday, 29 June 2010 13:36

Australia’s environment ministers have been urged to introduce a Container Deposit  System today by seventeen national and state based environment groups.  The ministers will be making a decision when they meet in Darwin next Monday.

“It’s time for a new green collection system that can be established by the private sector leaving government to regulate a CDS, rather than investing in new infrastructure or imposing a new tax,” said Jeff Angel, Director of Total Environment Centre and Convenor of the Boomerang Alliance.
“A CDS in Australia will produce a major reduction in litter; significant financial benefits to charities; up to 2,000 new jobs; an 80% recycling rate of containers; and hundreds of convenient drop-off centres not only for containers but also for other problem wastes such as batteries and electronic items”“It makes economic and environmental sense,” Mr Angel added.  “The Ministers need to stop doing time delaying studies and instead listen to the community and start making decisions.”
The environment groups also hit back at industry claims that a container deposits system will be expensive. 
“Industry is not presenting the full picture of all the economic evaluations of costs and benefits. It is using the data selectively. Our latest report on NSW takes account of the public’s assessment of the dollar value of environmental benefits, zero inconvenience cost and the latest adjustment to the BDA study,” said Mr Angel. 
“Also the cheaper methods the beverage companies are touting don’t work.  They propose a tax which will not significantly increase container recycling, and will be passed onto consumers including those who do the right thing and recycle. The other suggestion of more bins in public spaces is equally inappropriate. They are never used properly and contain a lot of contamination that prevents bottles and cans from being recycled.”
“A ten cent deposit is a far better incentive, and it’s been proved all over the world that it works.  And contrary to industry claims people are smart enough to know it’s not a real price increase.”