All those summer drinks lead to record recycling rates

If you lined up every can and bottle recycled at drop-off points in Victoria last week, they would stretch from Melbourne’s CBD to Cairns and back again.

Such is the growing popularity of the state’s container deposit scheme that nearly 35 million drink containers were recycled last week, the highest number on record.

Since the inception of the scheme in November 2023, recycling rates have more than doubled. At the start, about 30 per cent of cans and bottles sold in Victoria were recycled through the scheme.

Throughout last year, redemption rates grew from 57 per cent in the first quarter to 69 per cent in the last quarter of 2025, as consumption rose during the festive season.

At St Kilda Park Primary School, the scheme has become a valuable way to teach children about environmental stewardship and community service.

Its Recycling for Good Stuff program, run by kitchen and garden specialist teacher Allison Shanahan, has raised money for various organisations including the Lost Dogs’ Home, pets for people experiencing homelessness, Wildlife Victoria and CERES.

Shanahan said students chose an organisation to raise money for at the start of each term, “which is really beautiful because it teaches them to look past themselves”.

“It’s a bit of a lunchtime activity that is quite fun for those kids that struggle to find things to do in the yard, and it’s a way for them to connect with each other and look beyond themselves,” she said. “And just knowing that they’re doing something for someone else, and rescuing materials from landfill.”

Between December 22 and January 4, Victorians recycled 61.9 million containers through the program, smashing the record of 58.2 million in the same period the previous year.

“These record-breaking results show Victorians are embracing the container deposit scheme as part of everyday life,” said VicReturn chief executive Matt Davis.

“It’s a win for the community and a win for the environment. Every eligible drink container returned is one less piece of litter in the environment and another step towards a stronger circular economy.”

Victorians have pocketed $270 million in returns from recycling drinks containers.

Boomerang Alliance commissioned research in 2024 that found about 65 per cent of cans and bottles were recycled through container deposit schemes nationally. If the return for each can and bottle were doubled to 20¢, the report predicted returns would increase to 80 per cent.

Founder Jeff Angel said there was a growing alliance between industry and environment groups in favour of raising the amount paid for returns.

“An increase in the refund to 20¢ would make a big difference and achieve greater environmental and economic benefits,” he said.

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