Envirobank Managing Director Narelle Anderson says an expansion of the container deposit scheme to include wine, spirit and milk bottles up to 3 litres will help reduce landfill, protect the environment and put cash back in the pockets of Territorians

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
In the sittings of Parliament legislation passing to expand refunds
to any beverage container up to three liters, covering items
previously excluded like wine bottles, spirit models and milk cartons.
Now from early next year, the scheme is going to
include will all beverage containers up to three leaders, including wine,

(00:21):
spirits and plastic bottles, which were not previously accepted for refunds.
So I think it is something that a lot of
people are going to be pretty happy about once it
does become operational from early next year. Are you somebody
that does do all your recycling and collects all your
bottles and cans, be very keen to hear from you
what kind of impact you reckon it's going to have

(00:42):
and if you please to hear that it has passed.
But joining me on the line right now is the
Inenviro Bank Managing Director Norell Anderson. Good morning, NoREL, Good morning,
lovely to have you on the show now, NoREL. The
legislation to expand the container deposit scheme, it's passed this week.
How significant is this for the Northern Territory in terms

(01:05):
of recycling and you know the environmental impact.

Speaker 2 (01:10):
Well, it's significant for both. Actually it's it's significant for
the environment. So when container deposit legislation started more than
forty years ago now across the country, it really started
as a little legislation and it has very quickly evolved
in most recent times to a resource recovery circular economy regulation.

(01:35):
And of course we do need to be thinking about,
you know, what we're disposing of. We are running out
of landfill space, and we do need to be more
thoughtful about what we're doing with our waste, and of
course regulation and legislation like this goes a long way
to address those problems. And you know, in terms of

(01:56):
the financial impact for everybody, you know that it's a
refund scheme, So if you're buying it, you get the
opportunity to get the ten cents back. And if you're
not buying it and you feel like starting your own business,
then you can get on out and start cleaning up
country and cash them in at local depot.

Speaker 1 (02:17):
I know lots of kids, My kids collect all the
cans and stuff, you know, anything that gets drunk. They're
keen to, you know, to try and make a bit
of cash from it if they can but I know
that there's a lot of people that like they literally
get out there and it means that they are out
there collecting things that you know, collecting cans and rubbish
that ordinarily, you know, the council or somebody else might

(02:38):
be having to pick up.

Speaker 2 (02:40):
The council would either be picking it up or it
ends up in our waterway and ends up in our
parks and has you know, obviously detrimental environmental impact when
those things happen. So and you know, it doesn't hurt
anybody to get outside and go for a bit of
a walk. And if you can get paid for doing that,
why not.

Speaker 1 (02:58):
Why not? I agree? Now in two some of wine bottles,
spirit bottles, the milk cartons finally being included under the scheme.
From an operational perspective, does it present any challenges or
you know, like, is it going to be you're going
to need different sort of to do things a little
bit differently.

Speaker 2 (03:16):
We might need to do some things a little bit differently,
but the government is well organized and the operators in
the scheme have handled this kind of material. It's sort
of business as usual for us. So when when D
Day happens, we'll be ready willing and able to accept
all the containers that are now included.

Speaker 1 (03:37):
I know you've long advocated for broader inclusion in that
container deposit scheme. How do you see the expansion affecting
you know, the I guess the number of people wanting
to get involved, but particularly sort of in remote and
regional communities. Do you reckon it'll make much of a difference.

Speaker 2 (03:54):
Well, it definitely makes a difference in remote and regional communities.
You know, a lot of that material is in community.
So again if you're outside and you know, looking around
on the ground picking up those ten cent coins. One
of the things that we specialize at Enviral Bankers where
an indigenous business is really making sure that communities do

(04:15):
get access to the container deposit scheme. And that's again
that's part of our secret source and service offering if
you like, and it does mean a great deal for
community because it is a job, if you like, and
one that you can do at your own leisure and
one that puts real money back in your pocket.

Speaker 1 (04:33):
Noel, what are the next steps from your perspective? You know,
from that operational perspective, I understand that it will be
operational from early next year. Is that your take.

Speaker 2 (04:44):
Yes, I think it's early to mid next year is
when the scheme will be fully operational, likely that there'll
be a phased approach. We will be ready on day
one to accept all the containers. We're looking at our
facilities a moment making sure that you know, all of
our equipment is as it should be ready to go

(05:06):
for day one. But there are other states that have
wine bottles and spirit bottles included, So I guess we
know what we're doing and we'll be ready for everybody
to bring those containers to us. We also have recently
launched a pickup service in the territory. You know, we
acknowledge that lots of people don't have access to vehicles

(05:30):
or perhaps live a little bit too far away from
a container deposit depot, and we have a pickup service
as well to make sure that absolutely everybody can be
involved in the scheme if they really want to.

Speaker 1 (05:41):
Yeah, look, I think it sounds great that it's expanding
to include you know, your wine bottles, your milk bottles,
all that kind of thing, because we've all sort of
got that you know, that bit of all those you know,
those things that we'd like to recycle we'd like to
be able to make sure that we're doing the right
thing and if we're able to take it in and
get that that bit of money for it as well.

(06:01):
It can only be a good thing, right.

Speaker 2 (06:04):
It can only be a good It can only be
a good thing. I think you know, it's hard. It's
hard to make a dollar these days, and if you've
got an activity that you can go and get fit
and make some money at the same time, it seems
like it makes perfect sense.

Speaker 1 (06:16):
Yeah, it does well in Viro Banks Managing Director Norell Anderson.
Great to speak with you this morning. Thank you for
your time.

Speaker 2 (06:24):
Thank you so much for having me.

Speaker 1 (06:25):
Thank you