Ready To Launch: Tomra Cleanaway Opens Over 140 Refund Collection Points

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1 November 2023

READY TO LAUNCH: TOMRA CLEANAWAY OPENS OVER 140 REFUND COLLECTION POINTS

As the appointed Victorian Government 'West Zone' Network Operator of the Container Deposit Scheme - CDS VIC - TOMRA Cleanaway is excited to deliver over 140 refund collection points across 28 Local Government Areas in the west of Victoria and western suburbs of Melbourne from today.

Launched by the Minister for Environment Steve Dimopoulos MP in Melbourne, residents will be able to collect and cash-in on eligible drink bottles, cartons and cans, for 10 cents per item at a number of refund points including outdoor Reverse Vending Machines, smaller format standalone Reverse Vending Machines suitable for supermarkets and retail shops or clubs, over-the-counter refund points, pop up mobile collection points, and bulk container refund points called Depots in their local areas.

TOMRA Cleanaway CEO James Dorney said that in addition to the sites going live today, more refund points will continue to be added in the months to come, with 180 refund points to be established once the rollout has been fully completed in the west zone in August 2024.

"CDS Vic refund points are located where residents will be able to conveniently drop off their eligible drink containers for recycling, and as more refund points land, the scheme will become more convenient and rewarding," Mr Dorney said.

"It is estimated half a billion eligible drink containers are disposed of annually across the west zone alone, and with our machines being quick, convenient, accurate and automated, they are able to seamlessly integrated into retail and community locations."

Minister Dimopoulos said Victoria's Container Deposit Scheme will be the most accessible and convenient in the country when the roll out is completed in August 2024, making it easier than ever to recycle across our State.

"CDS Vic creates a true circular economy by working with local charities and organisations to increase employment, reduce waste and put money back into the pocket of local residents," Minister Dimopoulos said.

"By making it convenient and easy for local residents, CDS Vic will maximise the number of cans, bottles and cartons being recycled into new products, while reducing the amount of litter in Victoria by up to half."

The state-of-the-art Reverse Vending Machines are just one of the refund point types in the region, bringing new jobs and economic opportunities for disadvantaged people, charities and communities; and provide convenience and accessibility for eligible drink container returns across Victoria's west zone.

TOMRA's world-leading Reverse Vending Machine technology will scan and verify each container as it's deposited in a fraction of a second, and then provide options to either receive the refund amount as a retail cash voucher, via digital transfer direct to a bank account, or for the amount to be sent as a donation to a nominated charity or community group.

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Residents can also download the CDS Vic West Zone app to check on

the live status of their local refund point, verify container eligibility, and to manage and track container refunds. The CDS Vic West Zone app also allows customers the unique opportunity to donate their container refund to a number of charities that have joined as charity partners for Victoria's Container Deposit Scheme.

The Reverse Vending Machines can hold thousands of cartons, cans or bottles and TOMRA Cleanaway will use these materials to deliver high-valuefood-grade plastic and glass bottles and aluminium cans that will be recycled in a closed loop and could be back on retail shelves as soon as 6-8 weeks, helping to keep our rivers and waterways clean of waste.

About TOMRA Cleanaway

Working closely with government and business, TOMRA Cleanaway is driving value through recycling.Our vision is to create a positive legacy in the jurisdictions that we operate.

A joint venture partnership between TOMRA, a global leader in sorting technology, and Cleanaway, Australia's largest waste and resource recovery company, TOMRA Cleanaway is an Australian industry leader in the delivery of container deposit networks.

Our mission is leading the resource recovery revolution and making a sustainable future possible resulting in TOMRA Cleanaway driving value through recycling.

TOMRA Cleanaway delivers an agile service for container deposit networks, that reflects best practice and gives back to the community via a domestic circular economy.

CDS Vic

TOMRA Cleanaway is proud to be appointed one of the network operators of Victoria's Container Deposit Scheme, CDS Vic, serving more than 2 million Victorian residents in the western metropolitan Melbourne and Victorian western region.

It is estimated that over half a billion containers will be produced by residents in these regions and TOMRA Cleanaway will deliver a complementary collection point network across both zones, underpinned by world- class technology.

All containers returned through the TOMRA Cleanaway collection point network for CDS Vic will pass through technology for audit and verification purposes, which achieve clean, source-separated commodities that can directly go into a domestic circular economy.

TOMRA Cleanaway partners with third-party operators, including charities, not-for-profit and community groups, who will host convenient and accessible collection points throughout the zones which can be found at cdsvic.org.au/locations.

Container eligibility

CDS Vic will target beverage containers that most commonly contribute to litter and are often consumed away from home, including plastic soft drink bottles, glass beer bottles, soft drinks and alcohol sold in cans, and small fruit juice cartons. A complete list of eligible containers can be found in the Container Deposit

Scheme Regulations.

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