Recycle Rewards is a key initiative of the Tasmanian Government which aims to reduce litter and create clean streams of recycled materials that will help build Australia’s circular economy.

Drink containers make up 45% of Tasmania’s litter by volume. The container refund scheme will reduce this substantially, leading to cleaner streets, parks, and beaches.

Recycle Rewards creates an economic incentive to do the right thing: Once the scheme starts 1 May 2025, Tasmanians will receive a 10 cent refund for returning eligible drink containers to designated refund points around Tasmania, providing a financial incentive to collect litter and participate in recycling efforts.

The scheme is expected to double the recycling rates of eligible drink containers, ensuring valuable material is given another life rather than ending up in landfill.

Similar schemes in other regions, both in Australia and abroad, have shown significant success in reducing litter and increasing recycling rates.

All Tasmanians will benefit from Recycle Rewards, and there will also be opportunities for charities, community and sports groups to get involved with fundraising.

Once the network is fully established, there will be a network of 49 refund points across the state, including on King and Flinders Islands.

Recycle Rewards is a product stewardship scheme.

That means beverage companies pay for the 10 cent refund for each container and the operating costs of the scheme. This also means beverage suppliers are helping to reduce litter, improve recycling rates and reduce the number of containers that end up in landfill.

When Recycle Rewards launches 1 May, Australia will be the first continent in the world to have a container refund scheme across every state and territory.

The Scheme Coordinator, TasRecycle, is a not-for-profit entity and helps run the financial and administrative aspects of the scheme, and they also do the marketing and promotion.

The Network Operator TOMRA Cleanaway is responsible for the refund point network and payments to the public.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania regulates and provides general oversight of the scheme.

For more information, see the Recycle Rewards website: www.recyclerewards.com.au

Refund Points

A refund point is a collection place where you can return your eligible drink containers.

There are two types of refund points – reverse vending machines and depots.

Refund point locations

There will be a phased roll-out of a network of 49 refund points established across the state, including on King and Flinders Islands.

This will provide approximately 85 per cent of Tasmanians access to a refund point within 10km of their home. For scheme launch on 1 May 2025, there will be 40 refund points across Tasmania.

A range of refund points are already being installed in preparation for the scheme’s launch on 1 May 2025, when they will start operating.

INITIALLY THERE WILL BE TWO REFUND POINTS IN THE WEST TAMAR MUNICIPALITY:
– Beaconsfield, and
– Windsor Community Precinct

The exact location of each refund point and opening hours are being finalised and this information will be made available on the Recycle Rewards website closer to scheme commencement.

You can keep up to date by visiting www.RecycleRewards.com.au

Refund Types

Depending on your local refund point, you’ll be able to choose how to receive your refund.

Eligible Drink Containers

Drink containers that will be eligible for a refund Look for the 10c refund mark as a general guide.

The majority of 150ml to 3L drink containers are eligible for a 10 cent refund – provided they are made from glass, plastic, aluminium, steel or liquid paperboard (the material often used for small boxed juice drinks, or small flavoured milk containers etc.).

Drink containers should be in good condition (uncrushed, empty and with the label and barcode intact) so it can be returned to a dedicated refund point.

Ineligible drink containers

Ineligible drink containers won’t be accepted for return but can still go into household recycling.
These include:

• plain milk bottles or cartons
• flavoured milk containers of 1L and over
• glass wine bottles
• glass spirit bottles
• cordial bottles
• juice containers 1L and over
• household food containers (eg tuna cans, tinned vegetables)

Community fundraising

Opportunities for charities, schools and community and sporting groups, and special interest clubs and groups to participate Recycle Rewards will provide fundraising opportunities for Tasmanian charities, community and sporting groups, and special interest clubs and groups.

There are three different ways to get involved:

1. Apply to become a Donation Partner, and receive donated refunds from the community, who return eligible containers at Recycle Rewards refund points. Groups and organisations can apply here (click here), and this link also contains the Donation Partner guidelines.
2. Host a container collection drive and ask the group or organisations community and / or the public to give you their eligible drink containers, and then you can return these to a refund point and collect refunds directly (Recycle Rewards depots are ideal for this, given they are specifically designed to sort and count bulk quantities of drink containers).
3. Set up their own donation point, collecting eligible drink containers from the group or organisation’s community ongoing, and return these to refund points regularly.

Advice on bins for Donation Partners regularly collecting eligible drink containers

It is not mandatory, but if setting up a regular donation point, groups and organisations can choose to set up Recycle Rewards branded bins.

Learning from other states suggests bin consistency helps reduce contamination rates i.e., when Recycle Rewards bins look the same way, the community can more easily identify and understand what these bins are for – which leads to only eligible containers being collected (and less general waste).

Typically, Recycle Rewards bins will be the standard green bin, with a green lid or a white lid. In addition, there will be a range of Recycle Rewards bin stickers available for you to have printed, which can be accessed in the online Recycle Rewards Fundraising Toolkit.

The Toolkit also allows you to easily insert your organisation’s logo onto the bin sticker as well, if you
choose to do so.

For more information, including access to the Fundraising Toolkit, go to the Recycle Rewards website: https://recyclerewards.com.au/fundraising/

Frequently Asked Questions