Illawarra residents are in the dark about where to take their cans and bottles under the government’s new deposit scheme, according to the region's Labor MPs.
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The scheme, which will launch on December 1, will see people get 10 cents for each eligible can and bottle taken to a collection point or reverse-vending machine.
Under questioning in the Parliament last week, Illawarra MPs said Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton was unable to provide details of other planned locations for the Illawarra except that there will be one in the electorate of Keira.
“This government promised to install 800 machines in 500 locations for people to do their bit in protecting the environment, and deposit their cans and bottles, yet only 18 have been installed,” Keira MP Ryan Park said.
“I would like to know where the Return and Earn machines will be located in the Illawarra – yet the Environment Minister is too uninformed to answer my questions.”
When approached late last week a spokeswoman from the Environment Protection Authority did not supply a list of locations.
As of noon Tuesday, the relevant website contained no information about locations, but in parliament Ms Upton said updates would start from next week
Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
