By Mikayla van Loon
After just four months of being introduced, facilitators of the container deposit scheme (CDS) in the Yarra Ranges were fearful of being shut down or fined for lack of a council approved permit.
Having received a phone call from Yarra Ranges Council, before also receiving a letter, a local newsagency was given 10 days to apply for a permit or be shut down.
“I got my lawyer to send a letter back and we haven’t received a reply back. It’s been two weeks,” the owner, who wished to remain anonymous, said.
Similarly, owner of the Little Yarra Free Range Egg Farm, in Launching Place, Glenn Gemmill said he was also asked to produce a permit.
“I passed it over to Visy to deal with it because they told us we didn’t need a permit. So, at the moment, I don’t know what’s going on. We’re still continuing on as normal but I haven’t heard back from Visy or the council,” he said.
Mr Gemmill said he was told by Visy they were “in discussions with the council and continue on as normal”.
The newsagency’s owner said they believe it was a misunderstanding of the rules set out under the State Government that led to this request of a permit.
“When they set up the scheme for recycling containers, there’s a clause in this that if you are adding an extra service to your portfolio, which as an authorised newsagency, I’m adding an extra service for the community. I do not need a permit,” they said.
“But if I’m opening a brand new centre, just doing 100 per cent recycling of the containers then I do require a building permit for that.”
Taking it to State Evelyn MP Bridget Vallence, she advocated on behalf of the drop off point locations in parliament question time on 7 March.
“These small business operators are doing a wonderful service for our community, and residents want to do the right thing to support these businesses, clean up our environment and recycle cans and bottles using the scheme,” she said.
“The government must ensure that the container deposit locations in our community are not cancelled or fined by Yarra Ranges Council.”
Both Mr Gemmill and the newsagency have seen overwhelming interest in the container deposit scheme.
“It’s extremely popular. I’ve had to turn people down because we don’t have enough space to take more in. That’s why I said to the council you should be working with me not against me,” the newsagency owner said.
While seeing tens of thousands of containers dropped off every week, Mr Gemmill said luckily with bulker bags on hand, even when the bins are full, the Farm can still take more.
“We were doing five days a week at the start… but it was too much for us, we were losing track of the other parts of the business, the eggs and the strawberries,” he said.
“We’ve cut down to three days a week, and we’re still doing over 60,000 items a week. 20,000 a day sometimes, it’s insane.”
Visy would not comment on the permit situation but said it has been evident the Yarra Ranges community is very supportive of the scheme, so it would work with the council for the best outcome.
“We’re thrilled at the community’s response to the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme across the Yarra Ranges,” Visy general manager CDS Tim O’Donnell said.
“The community has really embraced CDS Vic as a great way to further support charities, schools, community and sporting groups.
“We’re working collaboratively with the council to provide even more locations for the community to return their bottles, earn some money and clean up the environment.”
As a drop off point and local resident, the newsagency owner said the benefits have been noticeable.
“Communities are supporting it 100 per cent because even if you look from Wandin to Warburton, you won’t find any cans on the side of the road, it’s all cleaned up.
“Kids are picking them up and bringing them to us. We pay them in cash as a reward.”
For now, the CDS at both locations remains the same.
Yarra Ranges Council was contacted for comment.
