AFTER eight months of the Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) operation in the Wellington Shire, eight of the region’s refund points have disappeared.

Six were operated by the DASMA waste management group, one by the Loch Sport FoodWorks, and another by the Yarram Mitre-10.

The CDS is a state government initiative led in Gippsland by a waste initiative group called Return-It.

The Gippsland region is one of Victoria’s largest participating communities, returning more than 33 million containers in the first eight months. Ironically, this is the reason some businesses pulled out.

Yarram Mitre-10 owner Dave Cooper said the CDS was affecting customer satisfaction.

“It took too much time away from the customers who now had to find parking, and then a lack of staff on the counter because they were too busy with the cans. The customers were standing at the counter longer than they should have been,” he said.

Loch Sport Foodworks owner Matt Edey had a similar belief.

“It wasn’t properly set up. We had the kiosk and not the machine outside the shop, so it was up to the staff to collect and scan everything. It was too laborious,” he said.

But these region’s refund points will return, said Return-It General Manager Daniel Paone, adding they are committed to upgrading the operation and have plans to put in a large reverse vending machine kiosk in Yarram.

“We’re expanding Yarram because when we rolled out the network map, we used population to determine the type of refund point,” he said.

“Yarram initially suggested it didn’t justify anything more than a retail RVM (Reverse Vending Machine). But even though Yarram and the surrounding towns were very small, people who were camping would use Yarram as a stop when they were on their way back into Melbourne.

“But that’s just part of the learning process, so it will be swapped for something bigger and more suitable.”

The Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) Kiosk at Gippsland Hotel Sale.

The Yarram return point averaged about 20,000 containers per week. Yet, Yarram and its surrounding towns have fewer than 3000 residents.

The DASMA group were the contractors responsible for operating six return points at:

  • Heyfield;
  • Kilmany;
  • Maffra;
  • Seaspray;
  • Stratford, and;
  • Yarram

DASMA was reached but declined to comment.

The Wellington Shire Facebook page made a social media post likely in reference of the reasons for DASMA leaving, such as the lack of regional network coverage preventing claims from being processed, delayed container collections, vandalism and thefts.

Return-It General Manager, Daniel Pahoe acknowledged these problems, but pointed to examples where there was a workaround such as network coverage.

“We operate on the 5G Telstra network, and three transfer stations didn’t connect. However, there was a workaround that required the DASMA team to enter some information and then upload it manually,” he said.

“There’s no ill blood; they just weren’t the right ones.”

Gippsland has 50 refund points and nine depots, with more coming out in the next few months.

Mr Pahoe said Return-It would exceed their contractual requirements and that the locations that have disappeared are soon to be replaced.

But it appears these points were not communicated.

The Wellington Shire Facebook page post and website never mentioned a return, instead saying “Unless major changes are implemented – such as additional state funding allocated to address these widespread issues – our contractor has indicated they will no longer be participating in the scheme.

Wellington Shire Council was declined to comment, instead referring to their website.

Local government representatives and opponents were quick to jump on this topic and use it as “evidence” of government mismanagement. One such person that responded via a press release was Member for Gippsland South, Danny O’Brien.

“Gippslanders are actively wanting to take part in this scheme and do their bit for the environment, but the Allan Labor government’s failure to ensure the program is properly resourced and managed has severely impacted our ability to do so,” he said.

“I am grateful to the private operators who are continuing to see the program through, but with reports already coming in that vending machines are not being emptied often enough, I do fear the future of the program.”

Mr Pahoe called these reactions a “political grenade”.

“This is a political beat-up. Even though there will soon be more depots than was agreed upon, the entire scheme is ‘mismanaged’ because one partner pulled out,” he said.

Mr Pahoe said there has been no failure as the scheme has only started and proven very popular. The Sale Depot has processed more than five million containers.

“There is a lot to celebrate about the scheme. The network will grow, and we’ll provide greater technology than currently as the scheme evolves,” he said.

“There is nothing that stops us from doing more refund points.”

The CDS has brought in more than $3 million to Gippsland. Photos: Stefan Bradley