The rollout of refund points for Tasmania’s container refund scheme, Recycle Rewards, continues with a new reverse vending machine opening in Hobart’s New Town.
The new refund point is a welcome addition in the state’s south, which accounts for half of all eligible containers returned since Recycle Rewards began on 1 May.
Conveniently located next to the Queens Walk Oval on Risdon Road, the New Town reverse vending machine is easily accessible to local residents and nearby school communities as well as users of the surrounding sports fields, many of whom are registered Donation Partners.
The installation of the machine is also another step in the Hobart City Council’s ambitious goal to achieve zero waste to landfill by 2030 by creating clean streams of recyclable materials.
According to TasRecycle CEO Ken Roughley, “Recycle Rewards supports the City of Hobart’s goal of zero waste to landfill by 2030 by creating clean streams of recycling. By transforming how we recycle, we are keeping recyclable materials out of landfill, litter out of our environment and reducing our reliance on new raw materials. That’s good for Tasmania and good for Tasmanians too.”
Waste analyses from 2024 showed that the Council is successfully diverting about 50 per cent of the municipality’s waste from landfill but that more than half the rubbish residents put in kerbside bins is organic or recyclable material.
The Council’s ban on single-use plastics, community take-up of FOGO collection, soft plastics recycling and now the Recycle Rewards container refund scheme will help drive down landfilling even further.
Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said, “This new Recycle Rewards refund point in New Town is a fantastic step forward for our community and our environment. It supports our goal of zero waste to landfill by 2030 and makes it easier for locals to be part of the circular economy. Every container returned is a small but powerful step toward a cleaner, more sustainable Hobart.”
Almost three months since Recycle Rewards began, Tasmanians are continuing to embrace the scheme. Eligible container returns recently surpassed an average of 220,000 per day as the scheme approaches 20 million eligible containers returned.
The state’s top refund points are spread right across the state. Devonport in the northwest is the state’s busiest site, followed by Claremont, Bridgewater and Launceston’s Mowbray. More than one million eligible containers have been returned at each of these sites.
Aluminium continues to be the top material returned, accounting for approximately 65% of returns. Plastics made up about 20%, glass 13% and liquid paperboard carton about 2%.
Visit recyclerewards.com.au for more information about Recycle Rewards, including container eligibility, refund point locations, signing up as a Donation Partner and how to make the most out of your fundraising effort.