FAQs

TOMRA CLEANAWAY

FAQs

TOMRA Cleanaway is contactable via 1800 290 691 – our central customer service number.

Or use our contact form.

A network operator is responsible for all container deposit elements: front of house collection of containers for consumers to the back of house logistics, commodity management, and recycling activities that provide surety of recycling outcomes.

TOMRA Cleanaway is the network operator for Return and Earn in NSW, Australia’s largest container deposit market, with billions of eligible containers sold annually in the state.

Network operation in NSW involves conveniently accessible container collection points for the community, a considerable logistics operation that provides a collections fleet that is technology-based and agile in responding to the needs of the network.

Commodity management, including processing and selling materials, is another considerable task that forms part of network operations. All activities are backed with real-time management of the network across the state.

Container deposit schemes like Return and Earn in NSW offer fundraising opportunities for charities, schools, community, and sporting groups.

These groups can seek donations of eligible drink containers from the community to then redeem for a refund at an approved collection point.

    • Charities, community groups, and social enterprises can apply to the Network Operator, TOMRA Cleanaway, to set up and run collection points where there is an identified opportunity to provide community access to a container deposit scheme.
    • Charities and community groups can apply to become a donation partner on a Reverse Vending Machine and thereby receive donations from people using the machine
    • Charities and community groups can also run ‘container collection drives,’ encouraging their members to donate for the organisation’s benefit
    • Registered myTOMRA app users can also organise donation drives using a donation bar code option to raise funds at reverse vending machines

Over-the-counter (OTC) refund points are container collection points that manually collect containers, delivering these back to a central counting and sorting facility for verification and processing. OTC refund points typically handle smaller numbers of containers.

If you are interested in partnering to host an OTC, please contact us.

A reverse vending machine (RVM) is the opposite of a drink dispensing machine. A person places their empty eligible drink container into the machine, the container is scanned to verify it is eligible and the person either:

    • receives a voucher they can redeem for cash or in-store credit at a partnering retailer (such as Woolworths)
    • receives an electronic funds transfer to their registered PayPal account via the myTOMRA app
    • donates a refund to a nominated charity or community group. These machines do not hold cash.

If you are interested in partnering to host a RVM, please contact us.

Standalone RVMs are a compact version of our larger reverse vending machines. These machines operate in the same easy way as their larger format counterpart, but their compact size means they can be placed in small-to-medium stores and still offer the same efficient, hassle-free experience.

If you are interested in partnering to host a standalone RVM, please contact us.

An automated depot (AD) is a high-volume collection point for containers in bulk quantities. The AD has a mechanical scanning and counting system that efficiently processes bulk returns using the same cloud-based verification technology used in RVMs.

ADs are operated by independent organisations and receive a handling fee for each eligible drink container received. In the West Zone, TOMRA Cleanaway is proud to partner with a range of social enterprises to operate these bulk refund points across Victoria’s west.

If you are interested in partnering to host an AD, please contact us.

Using your kerbside recycling, you’re actively participating in recycling; however, you will not personally receive any refund for eligible containers disposed of in kerbside recycling.

In Victoria, the operators of material recovery facilities that process the material collected in kerbside recycling are permitted to claim the 10 cent refund on eligible containers that they process. These operators will share half of these refunds with the relevant councils.

Most 150ml to 3L beverage containers are eligible for a 10 cent refund provided they are made from glass, plastic, aluminium, steel, or liquid paperboard. Containers should be empty, uncrushed, unbroken, and have the original label intact.

The eligibility of beverage containers generally aligns nationally among all container deposit schemes and includes beverages consumed away from home and are most commonly found in the litter stream.

Check the CDS Vic website for further details.

Wine, spirit, and plain milk are general beverages consumed in the home and do not form part of the litter stream. These items are, therefore, not eligible for a container deposit scheme return.

Check the CDS Vic website for further details.

Container deposit schemes are known by a variety of names – ‘bottle deposit schemes’, ‘deposit refund or return systems’ (DRS), or ‘bottle bills’ – and are generally underpinned by legislation.

Container deposit schemes operate through the addition of a small deposit on the price of a beverage. In most instances, these are beverages consumed away from the home and are considered to be ‘single use.’ The deposit paid by the consumer is refunded when the empty drink container is returned. In Australia, the deposit amount is 10 cents.

In December 2017, the United Nations Environment Agency encouraged all countries globally to implement container deposit schemes. Click here f0r more information.

The Single-Use Plastics Directive adopted in 2019 by the Council of the European Union has set a goal for member states to collect 90% of all plastic bottles by 2029, with an interim goal of 77% by 2025, through initiatives such as container deposit schemes. Click here f0r more information.

Containers collected through TOMRA Cleanaway’s network of refund points represent a highly prized commodity. Quality input determines quality output.

As a result of the large volumes of containers collected, our commodity trading desk function delivers high-quality materials to domestic and global buyers.

Source separation of materials through our container collection and refund network results in a clean, contaminant-free commodity available at scale locally in Australia.

Containers being returned for a refund need to:

    • be empty
    • be uncrushed and not damaged to the extent that the container cannot be recognised
    • have the label and barcode still intact
    • have their lids left on (preferably).