By the Bin Night Tonight team · Updated July 2026
Every Australian state and territory now runs a container deposit scheme paying 10 cents per eligible drink container. The schemes go by different names and the return points work differently, but the core deal is the same everywhere: rinse, return, get paid. Here is how to use yours properly.
Each jurisdiction brands its scheme differently, which hides how similar they are:
The rule of thumb: drink containers between roughly 150 millilitres and 3 litres that you would drink on the go. Beer bottles and cans, soft drink bottles and cans, water bottles, small juice bottles, flavoured milk under a litre and poppers all qualify in every scheme. Look for the 10c refund mark printed near the barcode; anything sold nationally has carried it for years.
The consistent exclusions are the containers consumed at home: plain milk bottles, wine bottles, straight spirit bottles, large juice containers and cordial bottles. Some states have widened their eligible list over time, so borderline items are worth checking against your state scheme site. Ineligible glass and plastic still belongs in the yellow bin (or the purple glass bin where you have one), so nothing goes to waste either way.
Return points come in a few flavours, and most areas have more than one:
Leave lids on or off according to your state scheme's advice, do not crush cans flat (machines read the shape and barcode), and give containers a quick rinse; depots can refuse sticky loads. Labels need to stay readable, which is the actual reason crushed and weathered containers get rejected.
Whether the 10 cents is worth your time is a fair question. A weekly household load of 30 containers is around 150 dollars a year, which many households treat as the kids' job or the sports club fundraiser. The environmental case is less debatable: deposit scheme containers arrive at recyclers clean and pre sorted, which is why container deposit glass and PET are the highest quality recycled streams in the country.
Both are legitimate. A container returned for deposit is recycled at a higher material quality than one from the kerbside mix, so the deposit route is better when you are willing to make the trip. But an eligible container in the yellow bin is still recycled, and in several states the material recovery facility claims the deposits on containers it sorts, which quietly helps fund kerbside recycling. The only wrong answer is the red bin.
Generally no; wine and straight spirit bottles are the standard exclusion, along with plain milk. A few schemes have expanded coverage over time, so check your state scheme site for borderline containers. Excluded glass still goes in the yellow or purple bin.
Yes. Eligibility follows the container, not where you bought it, and the 10c mark is printed on nationally sold drinks. Cross border returns are routine in border towns.
Labels stay on; they are how machines identify the container. Lid advice varies by state scheme, and modern schemes mostly accept lids on. Do not crush cans or bottles, and keep them clean enough to handle.