TOMRA celebrates Victorian Container Deposit Scheme Appointment

TOMRA Collection Pacific today celebrated news of its appointment, as a 50/50 partner with Cleanaway in the Joint Venture ‘TOMRA Cleanaway Victoria’, to provide Network Operator services for the Australian state of Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS). TOMRA’s appointment will see it jointly operating CDS Zones 1 and 4 (Western Regional Victoria and Western Metropolitan Melbourne) which equates to approximately one-third of the state of Victoria in geographic terms.

TOMRA Collection Pacific CEO, Tor Eirik Knutsen, applauded the decision, saying “Today’s announcement by the Victorian Government is an excellent outcome for TOMRA Collection Pacific, our joint venture partners, Cleanaway and the broader Victorian community.”

“A bespoke and world-class container deposit network, with unparalleled digital capabilities, will be implemented by TOMRA and our JV partner Cleanaway across Western Regional Victoria and Western Metropolitan Melbourne.”

“The Western Regional Victoria and Western Metropolitan Melbourne combined regions represent a considerable container collection opportunity estimated at half a billion eligible drink containers each year. With a refund of AUD 10c on each container, we look forward to refunding an estimated AUD $50 million annually to over two million Victorian residents within the Western regions”, said Mr Knutsen.

One of the outstanding features of TOMRA Cleanaway’s network will be the provision of TOMRA’s world-leading Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) technology that will scan and verify each container as it enters the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme, together with a full range of consumer deposit refund options including retail cash, digital transfers direct to bank account and donations to charities or community groups.

100% of all beverage containers collected through TOMRA RVMs will be recycled as part of the new scheme – with the ability to achieve the ultimate goal of bottle-to-bottle remanufacture and circularity. Specifically, plastics will be taken to local recycling plants, glass delivered to beneficiation plants for reuse and aluminium sold into an open commodity market to be infinitely recycled.

Charity partnerships will also form an integral part of the TOMRA RVM network, just as it has in the Australian state of New South Wales, where over AUD $40 million in donations and handling fees have been raised for major charities, local charities, community groups and social causes.

“TOMRA’s worldwide expertise in container deposit scheme network delivery has demonstrated the significant value that our technology can deliver for charities and social enterprises – both financially and in relation to new employment opportunities – This is yet another component of delivering Victoria an outstanding scheme that will stand the test of time” says Knutsen.

“TOMRA Collection Pacific is thrilled with the announcement and involvement with the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme that will deliver ‘Clean Loop Recycling’ in a new market in Australia.”