By Abbey Cannan
Locals and visitors of Noosa have reason to crack a cold one in celebration as they mark the extraordinary achievement of returning more than 100 million drink containers for recycling through Containers for Change.
Express Recycling Noosa site manager Dion Lawrence said the response from the community has been brilliant.
“They’re reactive and I’m really happy with the way the community has got behind it,” he said.
“It feels really good but there’s still a long way to go. Every day I get new people asking how to do it, so that tells me there’s a lot of people left to join the cause.”
Natalie Roach, chief executive officer of Container Exchange, the not-for-profit that runs Containers for Change, said the milestone highlights the community’s commitment to protecting the pristine local environment while ensuring no container goes to waste.
“Having now returned more than 100 million empties since 2018, Noosa locals have contributed to a cleaner environment, keeping every single one of those containers out of landfill or from ending up as litter,” Natalie said.
“Containers for Change has also made a significant injection to the local economy, with the community benefiting from jobs created at our local refund points, and the 10-cent refund for each container returned.”
Dion said he couldn’t thank his staff enough.
“Without them, we wouldn’t exist,” he said.
“I’ve got a core group of leaders that started with me in 2019 and in our industry that’s unique. They’re more family and friends than staff, so I really want to thank them for the milestone that we’ve reached.”
Since 2018, Containers for Change has returned more than $10 million to the pockets of local households, charities and community groups.
In Noosa, Dion said the three main charities or causes that people selected to give back to were domestic violence, Smart Pups and Wildlife Noosa.
“They’re our three main ones but when people come in they can donate to any charity they want,” he said.
Natalie said that while Noosa’s efforts towards reducing waste and recycling was commendable, there were still more opportunities for locals to cash in with Containers for Change.
“Unfortunately, each year millions of containers across Queensland are still ending up in rubbish bins heading for landfill, meaning those 10-cent refunds are literally going to waste,” she said.
“We want no container to go to waste, which is why I am urging all Queenslanders to start collecting their empties and experience the benefits of Containers for Change for themselves.”
Containers for Change is leading the way as the first container recycling program in Australia to include glass wine and spirit bottles, providing more opportunities for Noosa households, charities and community organisations to actively participate and raise money through 10-cent refunds.
“The 10-cent refunds can really add up, helping to ease some of the cost-of-living pressures households are facing, and if you don’t need the refund yourself, it’s a great way to donate to your chosen charity or community group,” Natalie said.
“Best of all it has never been easier to get started on a container collecting journey and help keep this iconic destination litter free.
“Customers can visit our website or download the app to find their nearest refund point, including our innovative reverse vending machine located at Noosa Council’s Resource Recovery Centre, allowing locals to easily recycle their empties and earn refunds while visiting the tip.
“We also have a number of Containers for Change depots in the region including Express Recycling in Noosaville, Envirobank in Cooroy and even convenient bag drops in Eumundi and Tewantin for customers on the go.
“And to make it easier than ever to recycle with Containers for Change, our customers can enjoy the convenience of our Home Collect service available in select locations across the region.”
Find Express Recycling Noosa at 26 Action Street, Noosaville. For more information call 0400 036 962 or visit expressrecycling.com.au/locations/noosa/
For further information on Containers for Change, visit containersforchange.com.au/qld.
