PARTNERS FOR CHANGE

QUEENSLAND’S CONTAINERS FOR CHANGE SCHEME IS BOLSTERING ITS SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT AND LOCAL CHARITIES.

Thousands of empty drink containers disposed of in Queensland shopping centres each year are helping turn trash into cash for housing and emergency relief.

Queensland’s Containers for Change scheme is partnering with AMP Capital to recycle empty drink containers in their Queensland shopping centres and donate the refunds to local charities, clubs and community groups.

Indooroopilly Shopping Centre was one of the fi rst to join the Partners for Change initiative and collected more than $1200 in the fi rst month for local charity Communify QLD, which provides support services to people living within the inner western suburbs of Brisbane. The donations were used to provide back-to-school kits for disadvantaged children.

Ken Noye, Chief Executive of Container Exchange, a not-forprofi t organisation that runs the Containers for Change scheme, says the partnership is a win-win for the environment and the community.

“Recycling containers is a job for everyone and this initiative, in partnership with shopping centres, allows customers to ensure their containers are disposed of correctly while they are shopping,” Ken says.

“Customers doing their regular shopping can now easily recycle eligible containers through these bins in convenient locations, providing a benefi t to the natural environment and supporting the local groups making changes in the community. Customers will know their recycling is making a direct, positive impact on groups in their local area.”

Containers for Change has a variety of container refund points across Queensland and Western Australia and aims to empower individuals, groups and charities to “be the change” and help reduce the number of recyclable containers ending up in landfi ll.

As part of the Partners for Change initiative, TOMRA reverse vending machines have been set up as donation stations in high-traffi c areas, such as shopping centre food courts, to target on-the-go consumables such as soft drinks and water bottles. The machine allows shoppers to donate the 10 cent container refund directly to the charity, which is identifi ed on the machine’s interface.

TOMRA provided the shopping centre donation stations free of charge, including facilitating the install of the machines, as part of its ongoing industry partnership with Containers for Change.

The partnership aims to collect more recyclable containers from shoppers “on-the-go”.

Steven Ihm, General Manager Indooroopilly Shopping Centre, says charity partnerships, community support and environmental sustainability are a key focus of the centre, with the diversion of waste from landfi ll and the improvement of recycling being fundamental to this.

“Indooroopilly Shopping Centre has committed to reducing the amount of beverage container waste that ends up in landfi ll, while supporting the important work of one of our charity partners Communify, whose mission to fi nd housing for at-risk community members and families, is such an incredible cause to be a part of.

“We want to thank our customers for adopting this change in container disposal and for supporting a worthy local cause. Each container recycled results in the donation of all rebate proceeds to charity and allows for our charity partners to help more members of the community.”

Karen Dare, Chief Executive Offi cer of Communify, said the initiative will help the organisation continue its work of supporting the local community.

“We support people through the whole journey of life, from childcare to aged care. Our multifaceted services offer assistance in mental health, housing, social support, NDIS and emergency relief through community centres.

“Last fi nancial year, Communify supported 610 local vulnerable people into long term housing, and that’s just one part of what we do.

“We are thrilled to be a part of this initiative with Indooroopilly Shopping Centre and the Containers for Change scheme and will continue to support the community with the help from these proceeds.”

Containers for Change aims to roll out the scheme to more shopping centres across Queensland this year.

Donation stations are being placed in high-traffi c areas, such as food courts within shopping centres.

For more information, visit: www.containersforchange.com.au/qld

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