This is today's editorial in The Sunshine Coast Daily - 18 September 2008IN OUR OPINION
Bring back the bottle deposits
The State Government should heed calls to encourage the recycling of empty bottles through the introduction of a deposit scheme.
South Australia has had compulsory bottle deposits in place since 1977 to encourage recycling and reduce waste.
A deposit system for empty bottles in Queensland was abolished 30 years ago.
Queensland Consumer Watch spokesman Paul Tully said the time had come for a 10 cent mandatory container deposit scheme.
As he points out, it is a tragedy that millions of empty bottles are dumped at land fills around Queensland every year when they could be recycled.
Generations of Queenslanders will no doubt remember the days when they could earn good pocket money by handing in bottles.
Compulsory deposits on all drink containers would be a major boost for the environment as well as performing an educational role by encouraging everyone to recycle their waste containers.
The Queensland opposition has backed the call, with environment spokesman Dave Gibson labelling the Bligh government "lazy" for ignoring community concerns over the issue.
And with South Australia recycling twice as many drink containers, it's clear the deposit scheme is worth implementing.
Let's hope the idea can be implemented nationally.
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