Container deposit machine capacity to be doubled due to popular demand

The container deposit machine at the Hamilton Bowls Club in Kennedy Street will be closed between April 10 and 16, 2024.

The machine, which gives a 10-cent refund for every eligible can, carton and bottle, will be upgraded to double its capacity and allow for up to four users at once.

It comes after a machine was installed at Mortlake's Clarke's Cafe in early April, 2024.

The Mortlake machine is the third refund point installed in Moyne and the 161st across Victoria's west zone.

There have been more than 63 million collections in west zone one (regional) and 91 million in zone four (metro) to date, putting more than $15 million back into residents' pockets.

TOMRA Cleanaway was appointed the network operator for the container deposit scheme in the west ahead of its launch in November 2023.

In Warrnambool more than 227,000 cans and bottles were processed in the first week of the scheme, equating to more than $22,000 in refunds.

The scheme is expected to be fully rolled out by August 2024 with 180 refund points planned to be installed.

Across the region the machines can be found in Timboon, Cobden, Terang, Mortlake, Warrnambool, Koroit, Port Fairy, Heywood, Portland, Casterton and Hamilton.