Menu
Contact Us

Containers for Change

Containers for Change, Western Australia’s container deposit scheme, will help increase recycling rates and reduce litter.

In accordance with clause 10 of the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery (Container Deposit Scheme) Regulations 2019, WARRRL as Scheme Coordinator must publish what it proposes to achieve as the container recovery rate for the financial year starting on 1 July 2022. This container recovery rate (redemption rate) is an average rate for the full 12 month period. WARRRL therefore aims to achieve an average redemption rate of 65% for the period 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022.

Each year, Western Australians use more than 1.3 billion drink containers. Sadly, many are not recycled, ending up in landfill and as litter across our state.

1. How it works

2. What you can return

3. Where you can return

4. Where your containers go

Through Containers for Change, you can return your eligible empty containers for a 10-cent refund, which you can either collect yourself or donate to a charity, community group and not-for-profit registered with the scheme.

You can return your containers in two ways:

  • at container Refund Points, where you can choose to collect or donate your refund, or
  • at Donation Points run by local community groups, charities or not-for-profits, where you can donate your container for that group or organisation to claim the refund.

Donations

Not-for-profit organisations, social enterprises, community groups and sporting groups can register for a scheme ID to receive donations when people return their containers.

Community and not-for-profit organisations can also register to be a Donation Point in their own right, using a cage or bin to collect eligible containers. For more information check out our Community Page.

Eligible containers

The scheme targets beverage containers most commonly seen as litter.

Most aluminium, glass, plastic, steel and liquid paperboard beverage containers between 150ml and 3L are eligible for a refund. You can also identify eligible containers by their refund mark, which manufacturers must include on all eligible containers by 1 June 2022.

Handy tip: make sure your containers are empty and the lids are off!  Lids can be taken to various drop off locations to be recycled. Containers for Change Refund Points will also collect lids for recycling.

Ineligible containers

Generally, ineligible containers are those that are less than 150ml and greater than 3L. Other ineligible containers include all plain milk bottles, wine bottles, pure spirit bottles, cordial and registered health tonics. Pure juice containers over 1L (or under 150ml) are also ineligible.

To look up eligible containers visit the Containers for Change website.

As scheme coordinator, WARRRL maintains a convenient and accessible network of container Refund Points across the state, through an open market application and assessment process.

Refund Points are run by many social enterprises and organisations, working to provide a place for you to return your eligible containers for 10-cent refunds.

Search for your nearest Refund Point at where to return on the the Containers for Change website.

After your containers are returned, they join other recycled goods which are sold through an international online auction portal. Recyclers then turn your containers into raw materials like aluminium ingots and shredded plastic, which can be made into many useful products – from aircraft wings to shoelaces. You then get to continue the cycle by recycling the ‘new’ product.

Some items, like glass and aluminium, can be infinitely recycled this way without any loss of quality.

This reuse of resources is known as a circular economy and is an important way we can reduce our impact on the planet.

Did you know? Plastic has a life span of over 500 years, which means the very first plastic bottle you ever used still exists somewhere on the planet.

Materials you can recycle include:

  • PET (polyethylene terephthalate) a synthetic resin found in soft drink bottles, which can be used to make clothing and textiles, automotive parts, industrial strapping and more
  • HDPE (high-density polyethylene) a high-density plastic found in milk bottles and shampoo containers, which can be used to make hard hats
  • Aluminium cans are melted into aluminium ingots and used in manufacturing items like new aluminium cans, engine clocks and aeroplane wings
  • Glass bottles, these are either sorted by colour and reprocessed into glass bottles or a glass sand to be used as a building aggregate for road construction, bedding sand and asphalt
  • Steel, which can be melted down and reused in construction, transport, appliances and energy production
  • As well as many other plastics

Get in touch

We’d love to hear from you.

Media enquiries

media@warrrl.com.au
0456 459 893

Want to chat to someone?

13 42 42

Thanks for contacting us.
We'll get back to you as soon as we can!