TOMRA Cleanaway is proud to have been recognised as a finalist for the 2026 Australian Financial Review (AFR) Sustainability Leader in the Agriculture and Environment category for its national container deposit scheme network.
The AFR Sustainability Leaders awards celebrate organisations that are turning sustainability ambitions into measurable impact. The awards recognise innovations that address real-world challenges while delivering value for businesses, communities, and the broader economy.
Operating for more than eight years and expanding into three states, the organisation has recovered over 18 billion drink containers through a network of more than 900 refund points across New South Wales, Victoria (West Zone) and Tasmania.
On average over 6 million eligible drink containers that have been returned across NSW are processed through the Eastern Creek Sorting Facility every day.
TOMRA Cleanaway CEO James Dorney said the recognition but the AFR reflected the scale and integrity of the joint venture’s approach to resource recovery. With financial returns to customers now exceeding $1.8 billion, this further amplifies localised impact and supports thousands of local communities.
“This recognition reflects what’s possible when world-leading reverse vending technology is combined with logistics and commodity management expertise at a national scale.”
“Every container that comes back through our network is proof that circular economy infrastructure works when it’s built for consumers”
TOMRA Cleanaway’s networks have returned more than 1.2 million tonnes of high-quality aluminium, glass, and PET to Australia’s domestic circular economy and global manufacturing industry. This displaces the need for virgin material and contributes an estimated 6 million tonnes of CO₂ abatement.
By delivering containers directly back into a domestic recycling and manufacturing market, the network reduces reliance on imported materials, strengthens local supply chains and accelerates waste diversion from landfill.
A closed-loop domestic recycling pathway is now operating for PET across NSW, Victoria and Tasmania. This means recovered PET bottles can be reprocessed and back on the shelf within four to six weeks.
Environmental and Social Impact Hand in Hand
Alongside its environmental impact, TOMRA Cleanaway’s network has generated more than $140 million in donations and handling fees to charities and not for profits, supporting thousands of organisations across the communities TOMRA Cleanaway operates in.
Through their partnership with TOMRA Cleanaway, St Vincent de Paul Society NSW is continuing to strengthen their role in helping Aussies recycle, by helping communities recycle more, divert waste from landfill, and create positive local impact.
Charity Partner St Vincent de Paul Society NSW operates 10 container processing facilities within the network, which have processed 800 million containers to date. The handling fees generated through this work total tens of millions of dollars and directly funds local support programs. This makes the scheme a source of recurring, unrestricted income for community services rather than a one-off donation.
“Every container that comes back through our network isn’t just a recycling outcome, it’s funding for organisations like Vinnies that are doing real work in local communities,” Mr Dorney said.
“Our operations in NSW, Victoria’s West Zone, and Tasmania show governments trust our model to deliver great outcomes for the community and the environment”
Looking ahead, TOMRA Cleanaway is targeting annual collections beyond 3.5 billion containers, with the NSW announcement to expand the scheme eligibility for wine and spirit bottles in July 2027, bringing more containers into the scheme and more value to be returned to communities, industry and the environment.
