Get cash back for recycling
A Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) is a recycling scheme for certain types of bottles, cans and cartons that anyone can use to receive a 10c refund per container recycled. Every state and territory in Australia has a CDS.
The CDS is a piece of environmental legislation that has far-reaching environmental, financial and social benefits. Beverage suppliers bear the cost of the scheme so that recyclers can process larger amounts of containers and individuals can get involved in actions that benefit their communities and the environment.
What's a container deposit scheme?
A Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) is a recycling scheme for certain types of bottles, cans, and cartons that anyone can use to receive a 10c refund per container recycled. Container deposit schemes have far-reaching environmental, financial and social benefits. Every state and territory in Australia has a CDS.
Eligible containers can be taken to a collection depot or placed in a reverse vending machine to claim money for the container.
The CDS is a piece of environmental legislation that takes a top-down approach to resource recovery. Beverage suppliers bear the cost of the scheme so that recyclers can process larger amounts of containers and individuals can get involved in actions that benefit their communities and the environment.
It is also an example of product stewardship legislation, where the beverage industry takes greater responsibility for its packaging after it has been sold. Beverage suppliers must ensure that a system is in place for the recovery and recycling of their empty beverage containers. This is one of the many ways to contribute to a circular economy.
What are the benefits?
Container Deposit Schemes provide individuals and community groups with a financial incentive to recycle while limiting the rising impact of waste and pollution. This helps keep waste out of landfill and ecosystem, leading to cleaner beaches, waterways, parks, and streets.
For Coca-Cola Australia, container deposit schemes give bottles and cans the best chance at becoming another bottle or can. Recycling plastic bottles reduces new plastic in Australia, meaning less reliance on fossil fuels which, in turn, reduces your carbon footprint.
How it Works
Containers recycled through CDS are turned into higher quality materials and products, than containers collected through co-mingled recycling services (such as your household recycling bin collected by your council).
This is because the glass, aluminium, and plastic containers that are collected through CDS are more efficiently sorted and kept separate to prevent contamination.
- Aluminium can be recycled infinitely! Recycled aluminium can be used again and again for new cans, packaging, or other aluminium-based products.
- Glass is another material that can be used in a circular production loop through recycling. Glass recycled through CDS can make it back onto the shelves as new products in less than a month!
- Plastic bottles recycled through CDS can be turned directly into new bottles and packaging. Currently, there isn't enough recycled plastic in the system. We need more Australians to increase their plastic recycling so that more bottles can become another bottle.
How to use Container Deposit Schemes
Eligible containers can be taken to a collection depot or placed in a reverse vending machine to claim money for the container. Click the map below to find information about the CDS in your state or territory.
Australian Capital Territory
The ACT container deposit scheme commenced across the ACT on 30 June 2018.
What's Covered?
Eligible containers include most glass, PET, HDPE, aluminium, steel, or liquid paperboard (cartons) between 150mL and 3L in size. All containers that can be recognised as an eligible container will be accepted.
What's Not Covered?
- Plain/unflavoured milk (or milk substitute) containers (cartons, glass or plastic)
- Flavoured milk containers 1 litre or more
- Pure fruit or vegetable juice containers 1 litre or more
- Glass containers for wine and spirits
- Casks (plastic bladders in boxes) for wine and casks for water - 1 litre or more
- Sachets for wine 250ml or more
- Containers for cordials, concentrated fruit/vegetable juices
- Registered health tonics
Containers for drinks that are usually consumed at home, like wine bottles and milk and juice cartons, aren't covered, although they can be recycled in kerbside systems as usual. Search Recycling Near You to find out if your council accepts them.
Where Are The Collection Points?
We've got convenient and accessible return points across the ACT, there are approx 20 return points (Return-It Express points, a few reverse vending machines, and the Hume Depot) as of 2026. The scheme will expand its eligible containers from 2027.
Further Information
For more information about the ACT container deposit scheme visit the ACT Government CDS site.
New South Wales
The NSW container deposit scheme, Return and Earn, commenced on 1 December 2017.
What's Covered?
- Most drink containers between 150ml and 3L that display a NSW CDS label can be returned.
- All beverage suppliers and retailers in NSW must sell eligible beverage containers that display the required EPA-approved CDS labelling — a 10c refund mark and compliant barcode, shown either on the container or as a supplementary sticker.
What's Not Covered?
- Plain/unflavoured milk (or milk substitute) containers (cartons, glass or plastic)
- Flavoured milk containers 1 litre or more
- Pure fruit or vegetable juice containers 1 litre or more
- Glass containers for wine and spirits
- Casks (plastic bladders in boxes) for wine and casks for water - 1 litre or more
- Sachets for wine 250ml or more
- Containers for cordials, concentrated fruit/vegetable juices
- Registered health tonics
Search Recycling Near You to find out what's accepted in your kerbside collection.
Where Are The Collection Points?
The full list of collection points are available on the Return and Earn website. From mid-2027, Return and Earn will expand to include wine and spirit containers.
Further Information
For more information about the NSW container deposit scheme visit the Return and Earn and NSW EPA websites.
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory launched its scheme in 2012.
What's Covered?
- All beverage containers of 3L or less
- Includes wine, spirit and plain milk containers
Where Are The Collection Points?
See the full list of collection points in the Northern Territory.
Further Information
For more information, please visit the NT EPA website.
Queensland
Queensland's container refund scheme commenced 1 November 2018.
What's Accepted?
Most aluminium, glass, PET, HDPE, steel and liquid paperboard beverage containers between 150ml and 3L will be eligible under the scheme.
As of 1 November 2023, glass wine bottles and spirit bottles are accepted.
All eligible containers will also be required to display a refund marking that will make it easy for people to see which containers can be returned for a refund.
What's Not Accepted?
- Plain milk containers
- Large containers (1L or more) that have contained flavoured milk, pure juice, cask wine or cask water
- Cordial or vegetable juice containers
- Sachets above 250ml that have contained wine
- Registered health tonics
Search Recycling Near You to find out what is accepted in your kerbside collection.
Where Are The Collection Points?
As of 1 June 2026, there were 424 sites across Queensland where customers can return their eligible beverage containers in exchange for the 10-cent refund.
Further Information
For more information visit www.containersforchange.com.au.
South Australia
What's Covered?
- Carbonated soft drinks, 3L or less
- Non-carbonated, soft drinks: including (but not limited to) fruit juice based drinks (containing less than 90% juice), 'sports' drinks, 'vitamin' drinks, 'energy' drinks, ready to drink cordials, 3L or less
- Water: plain, still or carbonated spring water, mineral water and any other water intended for human consumption, less than 1L
- Pure fruit/vegetable juice: means a liquid at least 90% of which is fruit juice and/or vegetable juice, less than 1L
- Flavoured milk: less than 1L
- Beers, cider and mixed drinks, 3L or less
- Spirits: a liqueur or other alcoholic beverage produced by distillation (eg: brandy, gin, rum, vodka, whisky), 3L or less, non-glass only
- Wine in plastic or sachets, less than 250ml
- Wine in casks, less than 1L
What's Not Covered?
- Unflavoured milk (cartons, glass or plastic)
- Concentrated fruit and/or vegetable juice intended to be diluted before consumption
- Health tonic included on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods
- Cordial (undiluted)
- Glass wine and spirit bottles
- For a full list see the SA EPA website.
SA announced in Sept 2025 that wine and spirit bottles will be added to the scheme in late 2027.
Search Recycling Near You to find out what is accepted in your kerbside collection.
Who Is It Funded By?
Beverage suppliers that bring eligible containers into SA will be responsible for funding the 10-cent refund as well as associated costs.
Where Are The Collection Points?
For a full list of collection points, please visit the SA EPA website.
Tasmania
Launched in May 2025, the statewide Container Refund Scheme (CRS) is known as Recycle Rewards, which aims to reduce litter while supporting the development of a circular economy by increasing recycling. Penalty enforcement for missing barcodes/refund marks starts on 1 November 2026.
What's Covered?
Eligible containers are typically those that are between 150ml and three litres such as:
- cans (e.g. soft drink)
- bottles (both glass and PET)
- cartons (e.g. flavoured milk)
- juice boxes/poppers
What's Not Covered?
Ineligible containers include:
- milk containers (plain or flavoured 1 litre or more)
- wine bottles
- spirit bottles
- juice bottles over one litre
- cordial bottles
Where Are The Collection Points?
The network has 49 refund points including in every city and on King Island and Flinders Island. There will be large depot collection points and reverse vending machines in the major population centres, as well as over-the-counter refund points in small businesses.
Further Information
More information about the collection points visit Recycle Rewards. And for more information about the scheme in TAS, visit the Tasmania Government.
Victoria
The Victorian container deposit scheme, titled CDS Vic, launched on 1 November 2023.
What's Covered?
Most aluminium, glass, plastic, and liquid paperboard (carton) drink containers between 150ml and 3 litres are eligible. Keep the lids on, as they will be recycled as well.
The scheme accepts:
- plastic soft drink bottles
- glass beer bottles
- soft drink and alcohol sold in aluminium cans
- small fruit juice cartons
- flavoured milk containers
What's Not Covered?
The scheme does not include:
- plain milk containers
- flavoured milk containers 1 litre or more
- wine bottles
- spirit bottles
- cartons under 150ml
- containers 1 litre or more that contained flavoured milk, pure fruit or vegetable juice, cask wine or cask water
- cordial or syrup containers
- health tonics and probiotics
- large beverage pouches such as bags of wine
Where Are The Collection Points?
To find a CDS location and for more information, visit CDS Vic.
Western Australia
Western Australia's Containers for Change scheme launched October 1, 2020.
What's Covered?
Consumers can get a 10 cent refund on all eligible beverage containers - plastic and glass bottles, paper-board cartons, and steel and aluminium cans between 150 millilitres and three litres. Examples of eligible beverage containers include:
- Plastic – water, soft drink, juice, flavoured milk, or sports drink bottles
- Cans – soft drink, carbonated beverages, energy drinks, beers, and pre-mixed spirits.
- Glass - wine, spirits, beer, pre-mixed spirits, water and soft drink.
- Cartons - Flavoured milk cartons, juice cartons, juice boxes, boxed water.
- Other accepted items include wine sachets, juice pouches and water casks.
What's Not Covered?
- Plain milk
- Health tonics
Further Information
For more information, please visit the Containers for Change website or email info.wa@containersforchange.com.au.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I return containers for 10c refund?
Container Deposit Schemes are run by independent entities in each state and territory in Australia. You can find accessible return points by checking Recycling Near You or looking at your state or territory's Container Deposit Operator.
Australian Capital Territory – ACT CDS
New South Wales – Return and Earn
Northern Territory – NT CDS
Queensland – Containers For Change
South Australia – SA EPA
Tasmania – Recycle Rewards
Victoria – CDS VIC
Western Australia – Containers For Change
Who pays the 10c refund?
Beverage suppliers bear the cost of the scheme so that recyclers can process larger amounts of containers and individuals can get involved in actions that benefit their communities and the environment.
It is an example of the beverage industry takes greater responsibility for its packaging after it has been sold. Beverage suppliers must ensure that a system is in place for the recovery and recycling of their empty beverage containers. This is one of the many ways to contribute to a circular economy.
Why can't I refund wine or alcohol bottles?
The eligibility of certain containers through CDS are dependent on the approval of state government or network operator approval. Certain containers may not meet eligibility requirements for proper recycling or the beverage suppliers for these materials may yet be scheme members to contribute to the refund. CDS may also be a state government initiative to reduce litter and therefore prioritise drink containers that users will most likely have when they are out of home.
Even though they may not be eligible for refund, they may still be able to be recycled through your regular at home, kerbside recycling services. Check for the Australasian Recycling Label, or with your local council, to see if those materials can be recycled.
Why can't I recycle certain containers?
Some containers may not have the 10c refund symbol on them. Other containers may display a 10c refund symbol but may not be eligible in your state or territory. These containers may not have been approved by the state government or network operator – or the brand may not have registered the container in the scheme properly.
Do returned containers get recycled?
Yes! Containers recycled through CDS are turned into higher quality materials and products, than containers collected through co-mingled recycling services (such as your household recycling bin collected by your council).
This is because the glass, aluminium, and plastic containers that are collected through CDS are more efficiently sorted and kept separate to prevent contamination. Once collected they are sent to Material Recovery Facilities and specialty recycling facilities for reprocessing into new products.
Can I get a refund for crushed containers?
No, the barcodes for recycled containers should be visible to be eligible for a refund through Container Deposit Schemes. Crushed cans, removed labels, or otherwise illegible barcodes may not be processed for refund purposes. These containers may still be recycled via kerbside collections.
Can I recycle bottle caps through CDS?
Guidelines vary between different state schemes. Check with your state's Container Deposit Operator.
