Form:  FoodBev

Tomra Sorting Solutions has been chosen to aid the upcoming container deposit scheme in Queensland, Australia, and will operate ten container recycling sites in the state.

Queensland’s container deposit scheme will see consumers receive a 10-cent refund when they return eligible bottles and cans to the sites, and the scheme will launch on 1 November.

Each Tomra site will be equipped with 9-12 Tomra reverse vending machines, a bag-drop machine and bulk collection systems to handle large quantities of containers.

Tomra already operates 675 return deposit sites in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) through its joint venture with Cleanaway, and has recycled 640 million containers since the state launched a similar scheme in December 2017.

The overall goal of the scheme is to increase recycling rates and reduce the impact of drink container litter in the natural environment, and Tomra claims that its NSW scheme achieved a 67% return rate in its first four months, compared with a recycling rate of 33% through curbside collection.

Ryan Buzzell, President of Tomra Collection Australia said: “We are proud to be a partner in the container refund scheme in Queensland, and look forward to building on our results and experience in Australia.

“Giving containers a value shows that these items are not simply litter, but an important resource – making recycling personally relevant and rewarding for consumers.”