Over the next three months seven "reverse vending machines" should be arriving in Ballarat, but the state government hasn't yet revealed where they will be.
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The container deposit scheme is set to start on November 1 and the first deposit site has arrived in Buninyong.
From the start date, used drink cans, bottles and cartons can be returned for 10 cents each.
State environment minister Ingrid Stitt said work was "well underway" to identify the locations of the remaining sites.
She said TOMRA Cleanaway, the network operators for western Victoria, will be talking with businesses and organisations to "determine where those collection points will be".
![Buninyong football netball club president Wayne Barrenger and Foodworks Buninyong managers Tiffany Young and Matt O'Brien with the new container site. Picture by Adam Trafford Buninyong football netball club president Wayne Barrenger and Foodworks Buninyong managers Tiffany Young and Matt O'Brien with the new container site. Picture by Adam Trafford](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/173106531/5efc93af-ebd2-4940-94ea-c7a5f46e72ab.jpg/r0_0_4905_3265_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"We will be progressively working on that between now and the launch date of the first of November," Ms Stitt said.
She said the government is aiming to make the scheme "the most accessible" in the county.
In metropolitan areas and large regional cities there is expected to be one site for every 14,500 residents, while regional towns will have one per 750 people.
The Buninyong site is about the size of a shipping container and is taking up three parking spaces in the Foodworks car park.
Site will be a range of sizes - some could look like a vending machine on the side of a building.
Community Benefits
Community organisations, like football clubs, are able to become official partners with the scheme.
When people bring their containers they can choose to donate their 10 cents to different organisations.
Organisers of the scheme also anticipate community organisations will be able to run collection drives themselves.
![New container deposite site in Buninyong. Picture by Adam Trafford New container deposite site in Buninyong. Picture by Adam Trafford](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/173106531/9e3ea979-8b9b-4f0d-baf8-cf5b8e438827.jpg/r0_0_4622_3071_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Buninyong Football Netball Club president Wayne Barrenger said this would be a great opportunity to help with fundraising.
"It's gonna be great for the community but also putting back some funds into our club," he said.
"The initiative of having the choice to give to a charity as well which is a great thing."
Eureka MP Michaela Settle said she was looking forward to the community rallying around the system.
"It's really easy to use," she said.
"What I think I love most about it is that you can donate to your local clubs, just using those bottles and popping them in."
Litter clean up
![Eureka MP Michaela Settle MP, Recycling Victoria Head Tony Circelli, Enrivoment minister Ingrid Stitt, Wendouree MP Juliana Addison, TOMRA Cleanaway chief executive James Dorney and VicReturn chief executive Jim Round. Picture by Adam Trafford Eureka MP Michaela Settle MP, Recycling Victoria Head Tony Circelli, Enrivoment minister Ingrid Stitt, Wendouree MP Juliana Addison, TOMRA Cleanaway chief executive James Dorney and VicReturn chief executive Jim Round. Picture by Adam Trafford](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/173106531/525a4956-3950-477f-8bab-b66ebed4af5d.jpg/r0_0_4833_3211_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Ms Stitt said about 3 billion containers and drink cartons are sold in Victoria every year.
Other schemes running in the country, like in NSW, have recovered 9 billion containers since 2017, she said.
She anticipates containers brought "away from the home are actually the cause of a lot of our litter".
"This is going to be a real game changer in terms of reducing litter and capturing the value of those products so that we can recycle them."
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