Overview

• The inclusion covers almost all beverage containers between 150 mL and 3 L and extends to wine in plastic, sachets and casks, cask water, concentrated juices, flavoured milk and cordial.
• Only containers sold from July 1, 2026 will be eligible for refunds under the new rules, according to officials.
• Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn urged residents not to hoard bottles to avoid overwhelming return sites and asked people to return wine and spirit bottles purchased after the start date.
• The 10-cent refund remains in place, with no increase planned and any change requiring coordination with other states.
• Since 2020 the scheme has collected more than 4.5 billion items and lifted recycling rates from about 35% to over 65%, while some products remain excluded such as plain milk containers and health tonics; officials also cited past industry resistance for the slower rollout.