Director Circular Economy Kevin Phang on container deposit expansion

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
From the first of July, the expansion of the Container
deposit scheme came into effect, allowing territorians to exchange more
types of containers for money. Included in the changes were
all beverage containers up to three liters, including empty wine
and spirit bottles, larger juice bottles, and flavored milk containers,
as well as those plain milk containers. To give us

(00:22):
a bit of a run through, is Kevin Pang Now.
He is the senior Director of Circular Economy at the Department,
and he joins me on the line. Good morning to you, Kevin.

Speaker 2 (00:35):
Good morning Katie.

Speaker 1 (00:36):
Lovely to have you on the show. Kevin, this expansion
it's been in place about a week now. Have you
had any feedback as to how it's going.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
It's going fine, it's all or full steam ahead. We
had a team member go to our springs for the
Al Springs Show and we've got some positive feedback about
the success of the scheme. Still early days. There's an
awareness piece we're working through with territorians and this is

(01:07):
part of it.

Speaker 1 (01:08):
So Kevin tell us. The changes follow reforms that were
introduced last year. How did they come about or why
did they come about?

Speaker 2 (01:17):
There was a discussion paper released about the benefits of
increasing recycling, and from there we prepared some legislation and
release that consultation. There was a very strong public support
and accordingly the government had the confidence to take it forward.

Speaker 1 (01:38):
Look, I reckon it's a good move. You know. I
often think to myself when you're you know, you're taking
we collect the cans and stuff at our place, and
you know, when you're putting the cans then into your
big you know, your big sort of bins downstairs, and
then you've still got your milk bottles and stuff, you're going, oh,
why can't I recycle these as well? So I do
think it's a good idea.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
Yes, absolutely, As you indicated, it simplifies the scheme just
by talking about beverage containers up to three litters, so
you don't have to discern between is there water in
that container or is there juice, beer, wines, beards, milk containers.
It'll be simple. It's simple from one July.

Speaker 1 (02:22):
And do you know if like you know, it's been
I guess about a week maybe a bit less about
a week here, do you know, if it's been sort
of pretty popular in the early days.

Speaker 2 (02:32):
Still I was still too early to determine. We are
working closely with our beverage supplies as well as the
collection depots. We were out and about before one July
just raising awareness and we'll be going out there in
the weeks ahead, especially focused on Darwin and Palmerston.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
Now yeah, now, Kevin, we did get a message from
a listener last week and it said, I've just been
by the Northern Territory Government section that the ten cents
doesn't necessarily apply to the extra containers listed. They have
to be registered and there are time limitations for suppliers. Now,

(03:14):
this person said none of the info supplied covers this,
so it's probably going to be that I take my
bottles to the center only to be told that I've
wasted my time. And he said it's a bit of
a joke. Really, are you able to shed any light
on that, like, are we actually still able to get
the ten cents on all those additional bottles?

Speaker 2 (03:32):
Yes, yes, the containers are cupboard. In terms of wine bottles,
spirit bottles take taken into your depots. There's a strong
depot network from our springs right up to the to
the top end to the Tuv Island, so bring your
bottles in to your depots and get your ten cents back.

Speaker 1 (03:53):
Well, that is good to hear, so definitely you are
able to do that well from the first of lie.

Speaker 2 (04:01):
Yes, that's the case.

Speaker 1 (04:02):
Now tell us I mean the container deposit scheme more broadly,
it has been embraced really quite well by territorians, hasn't it.
Have we had, like, you know, give us some background
in terms of how many people have dropped their containers
off over the years or since it's been running.

Speaker 2 (04:22):
Yes, yes, So the Northern Territory was the second jurisdiction
after South Australia to introduce the container deposit scheme. It's
been in place since twenty twelve. The latest statistics are
about one point two billion containers have dropped off, so
about one hundred and twenty million in refunds paid to territories.

Speaker 1 (04:46):
Geez, that's a lost given's that's pretty good going. What
happens to all the containers once they've been dropped.

Speaker 2 (04:53):
Off different pathways depending on the material. The typical we
crushed to reduce the volume of it, and the bows
are sent either interstate or overseas, so the aluminum goes
for refinering. I think into Southeast Asia. But there's a

(05:14):
plastic plant as well as a glass plant into State
that recycles bottles back into bottles.

Speaker 1 (05:22):
Well, Kevin, it sounds like it's been really popular, I
reckon as you know, as people sort of realize that
they can take their wine bottles, take their other containers
there as well. No doubt that is going to be
a really popular element as well. It's been good to
talk to you this morning. I appreciate you joining us
on the show.

Speaker 2 (05:41):
Excellent.

Speaker 1 (05:42):
Thanks Katie, thanks so much.