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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/mar/24/green-groups-dismiss-claim-container-deposit-scheme-will-attract-scavengers
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| Green groups dismiss claim container deposit scheme will attract 'scavengers' | Green groups dismiss claim container deposit scheme will attract 'scavengers' |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| New South Wales premier Mike Baird’s plans to introduce a container deposit scheme in the state face renewed opposition based on the Australian Food and Grocery Council’s warning of rubbish strewn over front lawns by “scavengers” – a claim environmental groups have dismissed as “scaremongering”. | |
| Baird promised to introduce a container deposit scheme such as those in South Australia and the Northern Territory while seeking re-election as premier last year. | Baird promised to introduce a container deposit scheme such as those in South Australia and the Northern Territory while seeking re-election as premier last year. |
| Related: Why is recycling important? You asked Google – here’s the answer | Adam Vaughan | Related: Why is recycling important? You asked Google – here’s the answer | Adam Vaughan |
| The state government has just completed an extensive public consultation process on the form that the scheme will take when it is introduced in July next year. | The state government has just completed an extensive public consultation process on the form that the scheme will take when it is introduced in July next year. |
| It received 11,000 submissions, including one from the Australian Food and Grocery Council that warned of an uptick in “scavenger behaviour” if containers were able to be returned for a 10-cent rebate. | It received 11,000 submissions, including one from the Australian Food and Grocery Council that warned of an uptick in “scavenger behaviour” if containers were able to be returned for a 10-cent rebate. |
| The issue was raised in a Victorian inquiry in 2012, which recommended a public campaign to raise awareness of the potential health risks of digging through rubbish for containers. | The issue was raised in a Victorian inquiry in 2012, which recommended a public campaign to raise awareness of the potential health risks of digging through rubbish for containers. |
| The Food and Grocery Council is pushing an alternative – its “Thirst for Good” proposal, which it says would generate $15m a year and reduce litter by 30% within its first 12 months. | The Food and Grocery Council is pushing an alternative – its “Thirst for Good” proposal, which it says would generate $15m a year and reduce litter by 30% within its first 12 months. |
| The council’s CEO, Gary Dawson, said the industry-run scheme took into account NSW’s existing rubbish collection systems, which saw the collection of 96% of beverage containers. | The council’s CEO, Gary Dawson, said the industry-run scheme took into account NSW’s existing rubbish collection systems, which saw the collection of 96% of beverage containers. |
| “We want to help the government design a solution that focuses on capturing that last 4%, rather than creating a duplicate system that adds cost to the 96% that are already being collected quite effectively. | “We want to help the government design a solution that focuses on capturing that last 4%, rather than creating a duplicate system that adds cost to the 96% that are already being collected quite effectively. |
| Related: Cutting plastic waste to save marine life might raise living costs, Queensland MP says | Related: Cutting plastic waste to save marine life might raise living costs, Queensland MP says |
| “Industry has the insights and practical experience to inform the NSW government policy process. There are significant costs and inefficiencies inherent to a cash-based refund CDS [container deposit schemes] that cannot be designed out. | “Industry has the insights and practical experience to inform the NSW government policy process. There are significant costs and inefficiencies inherent to a cash-based refund CDS [container deposit schemes] that cannot be designed out. |
| “What was good for South Australia in 1977 won’t work in NSW in 2016.” | “What was good for South Australia in 1977 won’t work in NSW in 2016.” |
| But the Boomerang Alliance, an environmental group that has been campaigning for action on the issue for over 13 years, which also put in a submission to the state government, has accused the council of “scaremongering”. | But the Boomerang Alliance, an environmental group that has been campaigning for action on the issue for over 13 years, which also put in a submission to the state government, has accused the council of “scaremongering”. |
| Boomerang Alliance executive director, Jeff Angel, told Guardian Australia it was a “standard tactic” of opponents of container deposit schemes. | Boomerang Alliance executive director, Jeff Angel, told Guardian Australia it was a “standard tactic” of opponents of container deposit schemes. |
| “It’s failed in other countries and the states [of Australia] because the industry has little credibility and the community support for container deposits is so massive,” Angel said. | “It’s failed in other countries and the states [of Australia] because the industry has little credibility and the community support for container deposits is so massive,” Angel said. |
| He said the Northern Territory’s scheme was “beset with problems” because it was run by the drinks industry, which had “made a mess of it”. | He said the Northern Territory’s scheme was “beset with problems” because it was run by the drinks industry, which had “made a mess of it”. |
| “In no way are we supporting the importing of the NT [container deposit scheme] into New South Wales. We are proposing an efficient, low-cost system and certainly no control by the drinks industry.” | “In no way are we supporting the importing of the NT [container deposit scheme] into New South Wales. We are proposing an efficient, low-cost system and certainly no control by the drinks industry.” |
| He said offering financial incentives for container returns “motivates hundreds of collectors every week”. | He said offering financial incentives for container returns “motivates hundreds of collectors every week”. |
| “The industry has been successful in the past in preventing government decisions, particularly close to election dates. This time there is no imminent election and the premier promised a world-class container deposit system, so we are in there with a chance.” | “The industry has been successful in the past in preventing government decisions, particularly close to election dates. This time there is no imminent election and the premier promised a world-class container deposit system, so we are in there with a chance.” |
| The seemingly straightforward issue of whether or not to introduce a container deposit scheme has been stymied by lobbying from the beverage industry for years. | The seemingly straightforward issue of whether or not to introduce a container deposit scheme has been stymied by lobbying from the beverage industry for years. |
| In 2014, the publication of the diaries of Baird and his then-environment minister Rob Stokes – which revealed meetings with Coca-Cola Amatil and other beverage giants and recycling companies, as well as Clean Up Australia, Greenpeace and the Boomerang Alliance – exposed the “ferocious lobbying” on the issue in the lead-up to the 2015 election. | In 2014, the publication of the diaries of Baird and his then-environment minister Rob Stokes – which revealed meetings with Coca-Cola Amatil and other beverage giants and recycling companies, as well as Clean Up Australia, Greenpeace and the Boomerang Alliance – exposed the “ferocious lobbying” on the issue in the lead-up to the 2015 election. |
| The Liberal MP Catherine Cusack revealed last year that the drinks industry threatened her party with a multimillion-dollar attack campaign if it adopted her policy to introduce a deposit scheme at the 2011 election. | |
| That same year, Coca-Cola launched an unsuccessful attempt to stop the NT government from introducing the scheme in court. | That same year, Coca-Cola launched an unsuccessful attempt to stop the NT government from introducing the scheme in court. |
| In its 2012 annual company report, Coca-Cola stated that if “beverage container deposits” are adopted in any major markets in which Coca-Cola operates it could “affect our costs or require changes in our distribution model, which could reduce our net operating revenues or profitability”. | In its 2012 annual company report, Coca-Cola stated that if “beverage container deposits” are adopted in any major markets in which Coca-Cola operates it could “affect our costs or require changes in our distribution model, which could reduce our net operating revenues or profitability”. |
| The NSW environment minister, Mark Speakman, is expected to make a decision soon. | |
| Reducing the volume of litter by 40% by 2020 was one of Baird’s 12 priorities for this term of government. | Reducing the volume of litter by 40% by 2020 was one of Baird’s 12 priorities for this term of government. |