Bottle Bill Resource Guide

Law Name Environment Protection (Beverage Containers and Plastic Bags) Act 2011 [1]
Date Implemented 1/3/2012 (last amended in 2017)
Beverages Covered

Beverages ≤250mL [2]:

  • Wine (in plastic or sachet containers)

Beverages ≤1L:

  • Pure fruit/vegetable juice
  • Flavored milk
  • Water (in aseptic packs/casks)
  • Wine and wine-based beverages (in aseptic packs/casks)

Beverages ≤3L:

  • Carbonated soft drinks
  • Non-carbonated soft drinks
  • Water (all materials except aseptic packs and glass)
  • Wine-based beverages (all materials except aseptic packs)
  • Beers and ales
  • Spirits and spirits-based liquor (all materials except glass)
  • Fruit-fermented beverages
Beverages Not Covered
  • All containers that are ≥3L
  • Unflavoured milk
  • Concentrated fruit/vegetable juice
  • Health tonics
  • Undiluted cordials
Amount of Deposit

10¢ AUD

Reclamation System Approved Collection Depots
Handling Fee Collection depots may be compensated for "reasonable costs" related to handling the containers by the CDS coordinator to whom they deliver the container.
Other Fees

N/A

Unredeemed Deposits Remains with producer/filler
Program Success

(2019-2020) [3]:

  • Total return rate: 80%
  • Aluminum: 77%
  • Liquid Paperboard: 60%
  • Glass: 90%
  • PET: 84%
  • HDPE: 34%
  • Steel/other: 49%

(2018-2019) [4]:

  • Total return rate: 84%
  • Aluminum: 88%
  • Liquid Paperboard: 61%
  • Glass: 93%
  • PET: 78%
  • HDPE: 38%
  • Steel/other: 60%

(2016-2017, revised):

  • Total return rate: 61%
  • Aluminum: 68%
  • Liquid Paperboard: 46%
  • Glass: 65%
  • PET: 48%
  • HDPE: 30%
  • Steel/other: 2%

 

Details

Northern Territory's container deposit scheme began January 2012, becoming the second Australian jurisdiction to do so. Under the Northern Territory legislation, every container sold in the territory must be included in a Waste Management Agreement in accordance with the CDS coordinator guidelines [PDF]. These principles, which are deliberately designed to be as flexible as possible while encouraging the system's success, are established by the Minister of the Environment, separately from the legislation.

Shortly before the legislation came into effect, the Northern Territory signed an agreement with neighboring state South Australia, the first and only other Australian state to have a container deposit law. According to a 2011 press release, "The agreement is a commitment to work towards aligning their container deposit schemes with a view to allow people to get a refund on drink containers bought in either jurisdiction." [5] The agreement also addresses the issues of minimizing border fraud and increasing recovery and recycling while reducing litter.

In order to comply with regulations, all approved containers must have one of the following markings on the label [6]:

  • "10c refund at collection depots/points in participating State/Territory of purchase"
  • "10c refund at SA/NT collection depots in State/Territory of purchase"
  • "10c refund at collection depots when sold in NT".

Footnotes

[1] ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION (BEVERAGE CONTAINERS AND PLASTIC BAGS) ACT 2011 (NT). 

[2] "Regulated Containers Factsheet." Northern Territory Environment Protection Agency.

 [3] "Environment Protection (Beverage Containers and Plastic Bags) Act 2011: Annual Report 2019-20." Northern Territory Environment Protection Agency. September 18, 2020.

[4] "Environment Protection (Beverage Containers and Plastic Bags) Act 2011: Annual Report 2018-19." Northern Territory Environment Protection Agency. October 2019.

[5] "Historic agreement to coordinate recycling in SA and NT." Legislative Assembly of The Northern Territory. December 06, 2011.

[6] "Container Deposit Scheme." Northern Territory Environment Protection Agency. Last updated August 12, 2020.

Last updated on May 19, 2023.

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Contact - Northern Territory

Government

Northern Territory EPA

E: [email protected]

P: 08 8924 4218

Container Deposit Scheme

E: [email protected]
P: 1800 752 632

CDS Co-ordinators

NT Coordinators Pty Ltd

Contact: Trevor Hockley
P: 08 8376 0555
E:[email protected]

Envirobank Recycling NT

Contact: Narelle Anderson
P: 1800 368 476
E: [email protected]

Statewide Recycling

Contact: Richard Byerlee
P: 08 8341 2511
E: [email protected]

Marine Stores Pty Ltd

Contact: Craig Marshall
P: 08 8447 6744
Mobile: 0404 824 885
E: [email protected]