TasRecycle pitches community-led container deposit scheme

TasRecycle has launched an advertising and community awareness campaign to lobby the state government to implement a community-led scheme, similar to those in Queensland and WA.

A community-led scheme would require the establishment or appointment of a not-for-profit organisation to manage the project. TasRecycle believes they are potentially the right fit for the role.

However, the state government has not confirmed which model it will choose, saying instead it was working on "designing a model that will best fit Tasmania."

TasRecycle spokesman Jeff Maguire said recent modelling indicated a community scheme could significantly deliver economic benefits to Tasmania.

That's compared with the alternative scheme already in place, which favours Big Waste, or waste companies who would manage and profit the most from the scheme.

"Under a Can-Do Community Recycling Scheme, there are many different ways community organisations, sporting clubs, charities and small businesses can benefit," Mr Maguire said.

"It can be anything from simply utilising a scheme account to raise funds through virtual donations, right up to commercial involvement as an operator or an authorised Refund Point that collects and sorts returned containers and pays out refund amounts to the public."

Then-Environment Minister Elise Archer confirmed in June last year Tasmania would have a container deposit scheme in 2022.

A government spokeswoman for Environment Minister Roger Jaensch on Tuesday said those plans were still on track.

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"Work has already commenced on designing an appropriate scheme model, with the experiences in other jurisdictions allowing us to develop a system that best benefits Tasmania," she said.

"It's an important decision for this government to get right, and we will have more to say on this in due course and ensure there is a wide range of consultation with the community on any proposed legislation."

TasRecycle director Edward Douse said a community-led scheme offered more back to community groups and residents.

"A community-led scheme offers more opportunities for the community to benefit from the scheme," he said.

Ways communities could benefit from community groups' ability to use the scheme as a fundraising opportunity; they could also act as collection points and receive a handler's fee.

Some groups register accounts with the scheme's not-for-profit coordinator to allow residents who collect direct the return money back to them.

The campaign will run across print, radio and social media. For more information, visit the website.