More than 10 weeks after the NSW government’s container deposit scheme rolled out across the state, Mudgee is no closer to getting a collection point.
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The office of Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton, who is responsible for Return and Earn, is no longer responding to media questions about when the town will get a reverse vending machine (RVM) or over-the-counter collection point.
Instead it passed on questions to the NSW Environment Protection Authority, but they also declined to say when the town would get a machine.
“Over 400 collection points are operating with more locations coming this week,” an EPA spokesperson said.
“The Network Operator TOMRA Cleanaway is deploying teams daily across NSW to review potential Return and Earn sites.”
Mudgee is one of the largest towns in the state still to be without a way to return bottles and cans for the 10 cent rebate.
There are two collection points in the region with Rylstone Foodworks and IGA Kandos both accepting returns.
While the government has declined to talk about the roll out of collection points, a spokeswoman for Mid-Western Regional Council said there have been discussions about a site in Mudgee, as well as at Gulgong and Rylstone.
“Council is very supportive of the NSW state government’s Return and Earn program and is liaising with the project co-ordinators on a suitable location in Mudgee,” a spokeswoman said.
“Council has also advocated for [RVM] facilities in Gulgong and Rylstone and is awaiting communication from contractors rolling out the project.”
The scheme has been criticised by suppliers, such as Mudgee’s Bevco, for placing unnecessary pressure on businesses, while consumers have been unhappy with the slow roll out.
The scheme is approaching a milestone with 98.5 million containers returned by Monday, however the opposition has said the figure was misleading.
Shadow Enviroment Minister Penny Sharpe said consumers had paid more than $100 million to establish the scheme but just $9.8m had been given back as refunds.
“Everyone in NSW is paying more for every drink, but with the government failing to provide enough refund collection points our collective wallets are $100 million lighter.”
