Beverage Containers

In April 2008, EPHC agreed to conduct an assessment of potential options for national measures, including container deposit legislation, to address resource efficiency, environmental impacts, and the reduction of litter from packaging wastes such as beverage containers.

In May 2009, the EPHC considered a report entitled Beverage Container Investigation – Final Report. The report provided an assessment of potential options for national measures, including container deposit legislation, to address resource efficiency, environmental impacts and the reduction of litter from packaging wastes such as beverage containers. The original 2009 Beverage Container Investigation Report, peer review and a covering statement from the Beverage Container Working Group are available below.

Beverage Container Investigation: Revised Report – June 2010

A recent analysis of the 2009 BDA Group/Wright Corporate Strategy ‘Beverage Container Investigation’ report (BDA report) identified a discrepancy in the economic analysis of the container deposit system option.

BDA Group/Wright Corporate Strategy have provided a revised report with corrected calculations. The correction has no effect on the relative ranking of the various options costed, but significantly changes the overall cost of the national container deposit system option. The revised report is available below.

The consultants engaged to peer review the original BDA report (Covec) were commissioned to undertake an independent review of the amendments. Their report is also available below.

Willingness-to-Pay Report – June 2010

In July 2010, following the completion of a choice modelling survey, the EPHC considered a report assessing community willingness-to-pay to increase the recycling of packaging and decrease packaging-related litter.  This work sought to quantify the non-market benefits that consumers place on improvements to packaging and beverage container waste management.

The EPHC has agreed to develop a Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) for consultation.  Whilst some aspects of the assessment have been contested, substantial work has been completed on the analysis of options for national measures to address resource efficiency, environmental impacts and the reduction of litter from packaging wastes such as beverage containers.  EPHC agreed that the Consultation RIS will consider not only container deposit legislation but also a limited number of options which may have a positive cost benefit and a tangible impact on recovery rates and litter reduction.  The RIS process will be transparent and consultative, and the scope and approach will be the subject of early engagement with key stakeholders.  The willingness-to-pay report, prepared by PricewaterhouseCooopers, and a review of this report prepared by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resouce economics are available below.  EPHC recognised the important contribution of the new Australian Packaging Covenant to resource recovery and litter reduction and the recent agreement by Council to renew the Covenant.