The Power of Returning Your Bottles

“Return your bottle, get some money back” may sound like a simple and attractive idea for many. But the Department of the Environment says the Returnable Containers Act remains one of its strongest tools to reduce waste.

Even as single-use plastics continue to choke the environment, the deposit refund system forces companies and consumers to take responsibility.

Chief Environmental Officer Anthony Mai says that to some degree, the practice of this return-remit scheme is companies “doing their part” to comply with the law.

Without the scheme, those containers would likely remain in the environment and become a public cost. The Act legally requires companies to take back their containers.

Mai said that the department has recently considered revisiting the Act to consider adding items such as lead-acid batteries and used tyres.

The DOE is also working alongside a consultancy to assess and improve legal frameworks, stakeholder engagement, compliance, and enforcement, as well as exploring alternatives to commonly littered items. The consultancy is expected to conclude in April 2026, after which the DOE plans to publicly share recommendations.