The Australian Open has announced an innovative partnership with the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic) for AO 2025.
The initiative aims to reduce waste, promote recycling and support grassroot tennis communities across the state.
Under the partnership, CDS Vic will become the presenting partner of the Australian Open’s recycling hubs and well-known Trash Talkers – a dedicated team who are on-site throughout the tournament to provide information and support fans in correctly disposing of their waste.
The program aims to promote behaviour change by generating awareness of the scheme, ensuring the precinct remains litter-free, and making waste management an engaging experience.
Victorians have returned more containers than any other scheme in the country in the first year of the Allan Labor Government’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic) – with a billion containers saved from landfill and $100 million back in the pockets of Victorians and charities.
Minister for Environment Steve Dimopoulos today celebrated the milestone on the one-year anniversary of the CDS Vic at the launch of a new display at Scienceworks that teaches students about the lifecycle of a bottle when returned through the scheme.
Since the scheme started on 1 November last year, more than $950,000 has been raised for charities and community groups thanks to the outstanding efforts of over 4,200 donation partners.
Victorians are recycling an average of 145 containers per return, with more than 26 million containers deposited the week following the AFL Grand Final – the biggest week of returns on record.
Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic) is calling on primary school students to lend their voice to an interactive ‘Message in a Bottle’ installation at Scienceworks, to showcase the importance of recycling.
To mark the first anniversary of the Scheme’s launch, CDS Vic is launching the installation at Scienceworks, to be on display from 1 November, 2024 until 27 January 2025.
Victorian primary school children are being invited to share a message about why recycling is important to them through a digital portal at cdsvic.org.au/message-in-a-bottle from now until 20 September. Selected submissions will be included in the interactive installation as a message in a bottle, with visitors able to read the responses as part of the display.
It aims to educate younger Victorians about the value of recycling and the meaning of a circular economy. When they visit, children can return their own containers at the onsite Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) in the Scienceworks carpark.
Residents across Barwon South West are reaping the benefits of Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS), with more than 71 million containers returned across nine Local Government Areas since it launched in November last year.
The scheme has refunded more than $7 million back to the Barwon South West community which is part of the West Zone operated by TOMRA Cleanaway.
It’s also creating positive flow-on effects for local residents in Terang where disability service provider Cooinda Terang has proven to be much more than a convenient refund collection site for locals to return their eligible containers.
Members of the Hamilton Bowls club are enjoying the benefits of a new green thanks to Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic).
West Zone operator TOMRA Cleanaway has installed a Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) at the club which has encouraged members to work together to raise funds for the bowls club through the scheme.
Since the scheme started in November last year, close to two million eligible containers have been returned through the RVM in a total of 26,000 transactions.
Victorians have proven that 10 cents can create a lot of change, raising $64,000 for the Good Friday Appeal by returning more than half a million drink containers and generously donating their refunds to the cause.
Jim Round, CEO of VicReturn, expressed gratitude towards Victorians who supported the iconic Good Friday Appeal as the first statewide donation partner for Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic).
“This remarkable accomplishment highlights the generosity of the Victorian community, their support for The Royal Children’s Hospital and their enthusiasm for Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme,” he said.
“Victorians understand the significant impact a 10-cent refund can have when it’s amplified across the entire state.”
He presented the campaign’s final donation cheque to the Good Friday Appeal with support from the Scheme’s Network Operators, including Tim O’Donnell, GM of CDS at Visy; Marc Churchin, CEO of Return-It; and Tony Catania, GM – Victoria at TOMRA Cleanaway.
The network operators played an important role in promoting the Good Friday Appeal at their hundreds of collection points across the state.
Rebecca Cowan, Executive Director of the Good Friday Appeal, expressed gratitude to all Victorians who participated in returning their drink containers.
“I extend heartfelt thanks to the countless volunteers, schools, businesses, and families who actively collected drink containers for donation refunds,” she said.
“The funds raised will contribute to the work funded through the Good Friday Appeal including important programs, lifesaving pieces of equipment, research and patient centered care.”
The scheme provides charities, community groups, environmental organisations, sports groups and educational organisations with new and easy ways to raise funds. Since its commencement in November 2023, Victorians have donated over $455,000, boosting more than 3,900 approved donation partners.
Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme celebrates NAIDOC Week 2024 by highlighting the vital contribution that Indigenous Australians make to the scheme.
In the North Zone, operated by Visy, Indigenous-owned recycler Envirobank operates seven high-speed depots and pickup services on Wurundjeri Land, Dja Dja Wurrung Land and Taungurung Land.
In the West Zone, operated by Tomra Cleanaway, two depots are run by the Indigenous organisation Kari on Wurundjeri Land in Melton and Coburg North.
Residents across Gippsland are reaping the benefits of Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme, with more than 47 million containers returned across six Local Government Areas since it launched in November last year.
The scheme has refunded more than $4.7 million back to the Gippsland community whilst also diverting drink containers from landfill, building a circular economy that turns them into new recycled products. It’s also creating positive flow-on effects for local residents, as demonstrated by two collection points in Morwell and Trafalgar.
Latrobe Valley Enterprises in Morwell operates a depot, bolstering Latrobe Valley Enterprises ability to create meaningful and sustainable employment opportunities for people living with disabilities.
Down in Trafalgar, the local Scouts are also seeing the benefits of taking part in the recycling program.
Scout leader Brett Hicks says their Over-the-Counter collection point has received more than 160,000 containers and created an important experience for the local Scouts.
Victoria’s new Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) is making it easy for Victorians to donate their container refunds to a great cause this Easter by partnering with the Good Friday Appeal.
The annual Royal Children’s Hospital fundraiser will be the first statewide donation partner for the CDS, giving it priority placement on more than 145 reverse vending machines and promotion at more than 50 depots across the state.
The partnership will make it easy for Victorians right across the state to donate to the Good Friday Appeal by returning their containers for a 10-cent refund until 30 April.
VicReturn has appointed eminent sustainability specialist Freya Marsden as Chair of its Board of Directors.
VicReturn is playing an integral role in building and implementing CDS Vic, as Scheme Co-ordinator appointed by the Victorian Government.
CEO Jim Round said Ms Marsden was appointed Chair after an open competitive selection process and brings a wealth of sustainability, economic and community sector experience to her new role.
“An economist, sustainability specialist and experienced Chair, Freya’s experience includes more than 20 previous board and committee roles across a broad range of sectors,” Mr Round said.
