Peel environmental groups have embraced the Barnett government’s container deposit scheme, which will allow citizens to get a 10 cent refund on drink containers.
On Facebook the Peel Preservation Group called upon the local community to show their appreciation for the scheme, which is expected to begin by mid-2018, by writing in to the government.
The Peel Harvey Catchment Council also welcomed the scheme, which ties in to their efforts to reduce waste in the estuary through a coalition with the Friends of Rivers Peel.
Mandurah MP David Templeman said it was good to see the Barnett Liberal Government finally decide to support the introduction of a container deposit scheme in Western Australia.
“Labor has long wanted to introduce a container deposit scheme in Western Australia but we were frustrated by the Liberals and Nationals who opposed the move,” Mr Templeman said.
The Labor government introduced a bill in 2011 to begin a similar scheme, but it was not passed.
“I am glad that both sides of politics are now supporting the scheme so we can be assured the scheme will become a reality in our state,” Mr Templeman said.
He said it was good to see that regardless of who won the state election in March, WA would finally embrace this recycling initiative that has worked so well in South Australia for many decades.
Environment minister Albert Jacobs said he had been persuaded to adopt the scheme after witnessing its success in other states and territories.
“South Australia records higher recycling rates than any other State and significantly less beverage container litter and WA has the highest percentage of drinks containers in our litter,” he said.
The decision was made in the wake of Clean Up Australia’s 2015 rubbish report which found WA was the worst contributor to bushland litter in the country.
“The people of WA are drowning in litter that can be avoided by introducing recycling initiatives such as a container refund scheme and action to reduce senseless over-packaging of food items,” Clean Up Australia Day president Ian Kiernan said earlier in the year.
The government plans to build the cost of the container deposit scheme into the retail price of packaged beverages.
