CONTAINER DEPOSIT SCHEME

Ms THOMPSON (Reynell) (15:19): My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation. What consideration is being given to the development of a national container deposit scheme, and how is our container deposit legislation benefiting South Australians?

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:19): I thank the honourable member for her question and acknowledge her ongoing commitment over many years to resource recovery and recycling. Recently I represented our state at the Standing Committee of Environment and Water Ministers where a national approach for a container deposit legislation scheme was discussed. I must say I was pleased, and I know that the member for Schubert would be pleased as well, given the number of times that he took this to the national meeting of the ERD members across states.

I was very pleased with the committee's resolve to further investigate this based on South Australia's successful container deposit legislation. Our container deposit scheme provides a clear benefit to the local community with cleaner streets and a high acceptance of recycling, with about $60 million worth of beverage containers having been returned during 2011-12.

In 2006, our scheme was declared a heritage icon by the National Trust of South Australia, putting the scheme in the same league as the stump-jump plough, the Royal Adelaide Show and the checkside punt as items that have been recognised as having made a significant contribution to our state's cultural identity.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: I don't think you should go anywhere near Sturt today mate but, anyway, this is about container deposit legislation. In 2011-12 the return rate for beverage containers in South Australia was a massive 81.4 per cent and more than $609 million containers representing 47,510 tonnes of material were returned for recycling and were diverted from landfill.

The government's decision to increase the deposit to 10¢ has contributed to this high figure with return rates increasing every year since the refund was doubled in 2008. South Australia has the lowest percentage (2 per cent) of container deposit items in the litter stream compared with nearly 7 per cent each in Victoria and New South Wales, 11 per cent in Western Australia and 5 per cent in Queensland. Furthermore, it is estimated that as a result of the container deposit scheme there are more than 1,000 people employed in the recycling industry in South Australia, particularly through the 124 recycling depots around the state.

After a generation, the container deposit scheme has become a way of life for many South Australians and the scheme is used for fundraising by schools, churches, service and sports clubs, and charities, all of whom benefit from collecting beverage containers and returning them to recycling depots.

The scheme continues to underpin South Australia's culture for leading edge recycling. Our status as a leader in the resource recovery field has been internationally recognised through the 2010 United Nations Habitat report Solid Waste Management in the World's Cities. South Australia's container deposit scheme: it is good for the environment, it is good for business, it is good for jobs, and it sets South Australia apart.