Exchange for Change (EfC) has made new announcements today for its Container Deposit Schemes (CDS) in NSW and the ACT.
For NSW, EfC has announced a fixed price per material type for supplier contributions that fund the Return and Earn NSW CDS. This will be effective for six months from August 2021.
EfC CEO Danielle Smalley says the decision to set pricing for a six-month period rather than 12 months was because of the current economic environment.
“We’ve been pleased to hold NSW CDS pricing for 18-months,” she says.
“Given changes expected in the volumes of materials being collected through the scheme we have reviewed the prices that will apply for the period from August 2021 to January 2022.
“We aim to return to a 12-month fixed price by material type once conditions become more predictable.”
Under the NSW scheme, beverage suppliers currently pay a weighted average price of 12.62c (excluding GST) per eligible drink container they supply into NSW for the six-month period from February to July 2021. From August 2021, the new weighted average price (excluding GST) per eligible container will be 12.44c.
Making business easier in the ACT
Together with the ACT government, EfC is said to be making it easier for the beverage industry to do business in the ACT. They have announced a new and “simplified approach” to the ACT CSD supplier contributions in response to industry feedback.
Aimed at helping beverage suppliers, and in particular small business, by providing price stability and reducing complexity and administrative burden, the new ACT CDS supplier contribution approach will be implemented over two stages.
The first will come into effect from September 2021 where supplier contributions will be calculated using a supplier’s actual supply volumes rather than a forecast.
The second stage will see the introduction of a long-term fixed price per material type with the timing for implementation to be confirmed and dependent on stability in market conditions.
Announcing the changes today, Ms Smalley thanked the beverage industry for their important input and feedback on ways to improve the scheme.
“Our goal is to make the ACT CDS a leading example of how business, consumers and government can work together to achieve real outcomes for the environment and the community,” she says.
“These industry-led changes will be a game-changer for small business, with improved harmonisation to other jurisdictions resulting in less administration and more time actually delivering their business.
“We’ve already seen a 23% reduction in the volume of drink container litter polluting our parks and waterways in less than two years. This result has been made possible because of the contribution and support of the beverage industry, and we look forward to continuing to work with industry to ensure the ACT CDS’ ongoing success in reducing drink container litter in ACT while also meeting the needs of business.”
