Sunday, March 6, 2011

Greens call for commitment to container deposit laws to help clean up Australia

Media Release Media Release Media Release Media Release Media Release

Newcastle Greens

Sunday, 6 March 2011

Greens call for commitment to container deposit laws to help clean up Australia

The Greens candidate for Newcastle, John Sutton, today called on other Newcastle candidates to commit to supporting the introduction of a container deposit scheme in NSW early in the term of the next state parliament.

“Thousands of good, caring citizens of NSW are out and about today as part of Clean Up Australia Day collecting litter, much of which would not be there if we had a container deposit scheme,” Mr Sutton said.

“Greens parliamentarians have previously tried to introduce a container deposit scheme in the NSW parliament (through the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery (Container Recovery) Bill 2008), but this was unfortunately voted down by the major parties in 2009.

“Federally, Greens parliamentarians have also been pushing for a national container deposit scheme.

“A container deposit scheme would increase recycling, decrease litter in the natural environment and urban areas, create jobs opportunities in the recycling industry, reduce landfill volumes, and improve water quality in our oceans, rivers and creeks.

“For most ordinary people, this is a no-brainer, but the major parties are both too much under the influence of the powerful packaging industry.

“A decade of self-regulation in NSW has left us with recycling rates of less than 40%.

“By contrast, South Australia – which has had a container deposit scheme since 1975 – has raised recycling rates to 80%.

“It’s time for all candidates who really care about cleaning up Australia to declare their support for container deposit legislation,” Mr Sutton said.

John Sutton will be supervising a Clean Up Australia Day site at the Carrington mangrove area alongside Throsby Creek this morning between 9am and noon, and will then be joining other volunteers further upstream of Throsby Creek at Islington Park.