The Boomerang Alliance welcomes the release of the Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) Victoria Twelve Month Review by our allies at the Total Environment Centre (TEC), which provides a clear-eyed assessment of Victoria’s container deposit scheme in its first year of operation.
While it’s encouraging to see one billion (or about 30%) containers returned via the new network in the first 12 months, and a growing awareness among Victorians, the report makes it clear that there’s still a long way to go for CDS Victoria to reach its potential.
Structural Flaws Undermining Access
The heavy reliance on over-the-counter (OTC) return points—particularly in the Visy North and Return-it East zones—continues to compromise convenience and equity of access. These return points often have limited opening hours and capacity, making them unsuitable for handling large volumes and everyday use by the public. As TEC rightly highlights, unless this issue is addressed with more automated options like reverse vending machines (RVMs), parts of the state will remain underserved and recovery rates will suffer.
Transparency Still Lacking
Another ongoing concern is the lack of publicly available data on zone-specific performance. Other states have set a much stronger precedent for transparency, and the Victorian Government must now follow suit. Clear, consistent reporting—including a breakdown of container returns by zone and container type—is essential to maintaining public confidence in the scheme and ensuring it’s delivering real environmental outcomes. After all, Victorians are paying for it and using their time to participate.
Missed Opportunity for National Alignment
With all states now operating container deposit schemes, Victoria has the opportunity to align with national best practice—but risks falling behind. The absence of a formal recovery target, slow action on expanding the range of eligible containers (such as wine and spirit bottles), and no movement on increasing the refund amount to 20c all reflect a lack of ambition.
What Needs to Happen Next
Boomerang Alliance supports the TEC recommendations, including:
- Immediate transition away from low-performing OTC points towards more RVMs and depots
- Setting a formal container recovery target of at least 85%
- Expanding the scope of eligible containers to include glass wine and spirit bottles
- Increasing the refund to 20c to boost return rates and incentivise broader participation
- Releasing a comprehensive and public annual report with key data metrics
- An independent review in 2026 to assess the performance of the three-zone operator model
CDS Vic has taken important first steps, but to become a truly effective and equitable circular economy initiative, the scheme must now evolve. The coming year is a critical window for the Victorian Government to show leadership and make the adjustments needed to improve access, increase transparency, and accelerate container recovery.
We look forward to continuing to work with TEC and other allies to push for the necessary reforms and ensure that CDS Victoria delivers the outcomes our communities and environment deserve.
