Cash in can as CCS gets under way

South West residents are collecting their trash and turning it into treasure by getting behind the Containers for Change Scheme, with almost 500,000 containers donated within the first week.

After week one, South West residents have returned more than 497,000 containers between 19 refund points.

The scheme, which was launched on October 2, saw more than 4000 containers donated to the Capel drop-off point just within the first two hours.

Cash4Cans Capel owner and operator Caris Lenaghan said the initiative was great for cleaning up the environment and a good way to make money.

“People have already started to notice a difference in places like Tuart Forrest in the amount of roadside litter because people are collecting containers,” she said.

It’s great for local community clubs that are getting involved too and you can also choose if you want to donate your refund to a charity group.

Collie-Preston MLA Mick Murray said the scheme had been a long time coming.

“It’s been one of the top priorities of people in the communities,” he said.

Mr Murray said Western Australia was often compared to South Australia, where the scheme had proved successful.

“Now we’re going to have that and be able to reduce our litter,” he said.

“There’s evidence it will work.”

Containers for Change has created more than 680 jobs around the State, with at least 40 per cent of positions filled by those living with a disability, the long-term unemployed or Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people.