Since the Victorian Government introduced the Container Deposit scheme earlier this year, the estimated deposits of containers have been blitzed in Horsham at the new TOMRA Cleanaway facility on Golf Course Road.
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Victorian General Manager of Cleanaway Tony Catanya said they estimated a collection of one million containers in Horsham's first year of operation, "that figure had been smashed in five weeks," he said.
"More than 1.2 million containers have been deposited for recycling since it began its operations on November 1, 2023."
AXIS Manager Mr. Colin Barnett said he believes targets will keep falling, and that's good news for the AXIS the environment and the community with cash returning to the pockets of families and clubs.
The official opening of the new TOMRA Cleanaway Depot was held on Thursday, December 14, at the Golf Course Road facility.
Mayor Robyn Gulline, AXIS Worx and TOMRA Cleanaway members, and the West Zone network operator for the new CDS Vic attended.
The partnership between AXIS Worx and TOMRA Cleanaway has created a viable business environment with an environmental focus.
Dadswell Bridge resident John Bartlett deposited his second load of cans for recycling on Thursday, making approximately 10,000 cans deposited in a week.
He'd been collecting cans since before the pandemic in 2020.
"Our family is committed to recycling, and so I began collecting them from the extended family; I had storage space and was just waiting for somewhere to deposit them," he said.
"I think this is a great facility, and I'll keep collecting and depositing them here."
TOMRA Cleanaway funded the machinery that recycles the containers.
AXIS Worx funded the conveyor system, which takes the containers into bins for transport to the crushing and recycling plants.
Mr Catanya said the project had shown great promise in the weeks since it began operating showed the interest and support of the community.
"That's $100,000 that has returned to the community to individuals, families, clubs, and organizations," he said.
"It has added employment opportunities for community members."
Rachel has worked with AXIS for eight years and Wesley for 20 years; both have worked on the recycling system since it was installed and are excited and proud to be part of such an important community project, they said.
The TOMRA Cleanaway system is based on supporting not-for-profit organisations like AXIS Worx and, similarly, other organizations where a further 12 facilities have been established throughout Victoria, including one which employs people recently released from prison with a focus on jobs for females.
The technology installed at the facility reads the barcodes and sorts plastic from aluminum cans.
The PET containers are recycled at two Victorian sites at Albury and Altona. The aluminum is recycled in South Korea.
"It's a bottle-to-bottle model," Ben Murphy, project manager for Cleanaway, said.
"Bottles are recycled into bottles, so it's a win-win model."