Exchange trash for money | SAIGON GIAI PHONG NEWSPAPER

SGGP November 9, 2023 06:00

Things that were previously thrown away in household recycling bins are now useful to residents of Victoria, Australia, who have joined the state government's recycling-for-cash program.

A Victorian resident arrives at a recycling collection point.

Tracey Cheshire, from Wodonga, brought two large bags of cans and bottles to the recycling station. “I opened Facebook and the ad for the program popped up. I will transfer the money I earn to the social club where I work,” Tracey said. Since early November, the Victorian government has been implementing a program to exchange recyclables for money with the goal of reducing the state’s waste by 50%.

Residents can bring in eligible cans, bottles, and beverage containers to a collection point and receive 10 cents per can. Residents can check which types of trash are eligible for the refund on the program’s website. They can choose to receive cash or bank transfer, receive a coupon for a purchase, or donate the money to a charity or community group affiliated with the program.

Once collected, the rubbish is sorted and sent to recycling centres, where it is turned into usable items. Exchange Depot manager Damien Woolford, who runs the exchange points in north-east Victoria, said the simple process means anything made from aluminium, plastic, glass or polyethylene can be easily recycled. “Many other state sporting clubs have joined the program to raise funds for new uniforms and equipment, and community groups have raised money for various initiatives,” Mr Woolford said.

In fact, Victoria state implemented the program of exchanging waste for money later than many other states. In South Australia state, the program has been implemented since 1977 with a refund rate of up to 77%. New South Wales state implemented it since the end of 2017, Queensland state since the end of 2018, with a refund rate of more than 60%... According to ABC News channel, since New South Wales implemented the program, people from many places outside the state also brought recyclable waste to exchange for money.

According to Victorian Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos, the state government has learned a lot from the experiences of previous states to implement the program better. “You can compare to see this clearly. New South Wales had 292 redemption points on the first day of the program, while we had 392 points. How to have as many redemption points as possible.”

Authorities hope that within nine months of the program starting, at least one collection point can be set up for every metropolitan area with a population of 14,500, one collection point for every rural area with a population of 750 and one collection point for every remote town with a population of 350. By August 2024, Victoria is expected to have around 600 recycling collection points. Mr. Steve Dimopoulos hopes that the program will contribute to a more sustainable future, while also generating some additional income for residents.

Source