Alex Schlotzer

In Australia there is only one state that allows people to return their drink containers to places of purchase for a refund and to have those drink containers recycled. It’s not Victoria either.

Fortunately, there is another push by the Greens in Victoria to see the introduction of container deposit laws. A couple of weeks ago Colleen Hartland (Greens MLC) re-introduced her legislation to the Victorian Parliament that would lift recycling rates from 49.5% to 83%, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, eliminate 12-15% of all litter and offer councils and community groups a valuable new source of income. As part of re-introducing the legislation, Ms Hartland also released a report – Turning Rubbish Into Community Money – that clearly outlines the overwhelming reasons for supporting the legislation.

Imagine how much cleaner our streets and creeks will be, when we put a price on rubbish! This is a program that will have direct and immediate impacts on our helping to preserve and to protect our environment.

In the last term of parliament, the Greens Bill passed the Upper House with support of all former opposition parties, but the former Labor government refused to debate it in the Lower House, which prevented it from becoming law. Now the Liberals are in government.

The question is; will they continue to support a 10c returnable deposit on bottles, cans and cartons?

Register your support and to follow the progress of this legislation.