A REVERSE vending machine was displayed at Sylvania Waters shopping centre this week to promote an anti-litter scheme the state government hopes to have operating in just over two years.
Environment Minister Rob Stokes showed Liberal candidates Mark Speakman (Cronulla), Eleni Petinos (Miranda) and Lee Evans (Heathcote) how cans and bottles were fed into the machine and a cash voucher emitted.
Mr Speakman began campaigning for a container deposit scheme after being shocked by litter at Towra Point.
The government announced last weekend that a minimum of 800 machines would be installed in beaches, parks and other public areas across the state.
Mr Stokes said there would be "comprehensive community consultation" on the design of the scheme and incentive structure.
The aim was to have the design completed by March 31, 2016, and the scheme start by July 1, 2017.
Mr Stokes said matters to be worked out included the size of the refund and whether it should be paid to consumers or a charity or community organisation.
He said the size of the refund varied in the 45 jurisdictions where schemes operated throughout the world.
‘GROUND-BREAKING’ MOVE
The Boomerang Alliance said the decision to go ahead with a container deposit scheme was ‘‘ground-breaking’’.
More than 30 environmental groups formed the alliance to campaign for the anti-litter scheme.
Convener Jeff Angel said it would ‘‘stop the littering and landfilling of billions of drink containers every year’’ and be a great boon to the charity sector.
Mr Angel said the campaign had been run for more than 10 years.
