West Australians will once again be able to exchange their cans and bottles for loose change as the McGowan government asks for community input to shape its container deposit scheme.
For every bottle and can returned to deposit sites, the scheme will refund 10 cents and is due to roll out in 2019.
For every bottle and can returned, the scheme will refund 10 cents.Credit: iStockphoto.
WA had a container deposit scheme many years ago but it was axed.
Environment Minister Stephen Dawson said the goal was to reduce litter, protect wildlife and encourage a recycling "culture".
"A container deposit scheme will also allow charities and community organisations to raise funds, facilitating their vital community work," Premier Mark McGowan said.
Drinking containers make up 35.2 per cent of litter in WA compared to 10 per cent in South Australia, which has run a container deposit scheme for 40 years.
The WA government estimates for every 10,000 tonnes of waste recycled, 9.2 full- time jobs are created compared to 2.8 jobs if the rubbish went to landfill, and says the scheme could bring up to 500 jobs.
Local councils report collecting about 1.5 million tonnes of domestic waste in 2015-16, or 28 kilograms per household per week, with 66 per cent going straight to landfill.
Only 34 per cent of rubbish is recovered for recycling or re-use, well below the previous state government's target of 50 per cent by 2015, which has been adopted by the new Labor government, along with a 2020 target of 65 per cent.
WA also has a higher than national average litter rate, with takeaway food and beverage containers and cigarette butts making up 61 per cent of litter cleared.
The McGowan government released its discussion paper on Monday and will hold it open for public comment until October 23.
AAP