Industry Information and Approvals

NOTE: Documents and pages are currently being updated and will be available soon. Please contact our office if you require further information.

Container Deposit Scheme Approvals

The approvals for the Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) are now open. To become involved in the Scheme as a CDS Coordinator or Collection Depot you will need to be approved by the Chief Executive of the Department of Lands Planning and the Environment.

Manufacturers and importers that sell regulated beverage containers will also be required to seek an approval for their containers.

CDS Principles

The CDS Principles are a key feature of the scheme. The NT Government have developed CDS principles that aim to ensure the waste management arrangements that are the key component for implementing the CDS are effective, efficient and equitable.

Application for Container Deposit Scheme Collection Depot Approval (pdf 53Kb)
Application for Container Deposit Scheme Coordinator Approval (pdf 49Kb)
Application for Container Deposit Scheme Supply Approval
Supply Approval Data Base User Manual (pdf 2.1MB)
Guidelines for Collection Depot Approval Guidelines (pdf 50Kb)
Guidelines for Regulated Container Supply Approval Guidelines (pdf 161Kb)

For more information and application forms email containerdeposit@nt.gov.au, or phone 1800 752 632

Beverage manufacturers and importers

Under Part 2 of the Environment Protection (Beverage Container and Plastic Bags) Act (the Act), manufacturers or first importers of regulated containers are required to hold a supply approval issued by the Territory Government. A supply approval for a container will only be issued if the Chief Executive is satisfied that the container bears the approved refund marking and that there is an ongoing, effective and appropriate Waste Management Arrangement (WMA) in place (other factors may also be considered during the approval process).

Under section 11 of the Act, a WMA is an arrangement made by CDS participants for the:

collection, sorting and aggregation of empty containers; and
reuse, recycling or other appropriate disposal of empty containers.

Further, the CEO must be satisfied that:

the container material (including the label) is suitable for recycling, reuse or other disposal considered appropriate by the Chief Executive; and
the way the refund marking is going to be applied to the containers is not likely to render the containers unsuitable for recycling, reuse or other disposal considered appropriate by the Chief Executive.

The WMA must also give affect to the CDS principles. The NT Government has developed CDS principles for ensuring an effective, efficient and equitable WMA. The CDS principles are available by contacting our office on 1800 752 632.

Applications for NT Container Supply approvals are open. For more information on the responsibilities of beverage manufacturers and importers contact us via email containerdeposit@nt.gov.au.

Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) Coordinators

Under the Environment Protection (Beverage Containers and Plastic Bags) Act 2011 CDS Coordinators will need to be approved and have Waste Management Arrangements (WMA) in place that give affect to the CDS principles.

In assessing an application for coordinator approval, the CEO must consider whether there is an ongoing, effective and appropriate waste management arrangement (WMA) in place. Under section 11 of the Act, a WMA is an arrangement made by CDS participants for the:

collection, sorting and aggregation of empty containers; and
reuse, recycling or other appropriate disposal of empty containers.

The WMA must also give affect to the CDS principles. The Territory Government has developed CDS principles for ensuring an effective, efficient and equitable WMA.

The CDS principles are available by emailing containerdeposit@nt.gov.au

Contact our office for a CDS Coordinator approvals application . For more information about the application process for CDS Coordinators email containerdeposit@nt.gov.au

Please send your completed applications to:

Address:
NT Environment Protection Authority
GPO BOX 3675, DARWIN NT, 0801

Email: containerdeposit@nt.gov.au
Fax: 08 8924 4053

Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) Collection Depots

CDS Collection Depots play an important role in the collection of empty beverage containers and will be the public access point to the Northern Territory’s CDS. Collection Depots will also be responsible for providing the 10 cent refund on approved beverage containers.

A collection depot is a facility or premises for the collection and handling of regulated containers delivered to the facility or premises in consideration of the payment of refund amounts for containers, and includes a reverse vending machine. This may include, for example, a new facility or an addition to an existing facility.

In assessing an application for collection approval, the Chief Executive must consider whether there is an ongoing, effective and appropriate waste management arrangement (WMA) in place. Under section 11 of the Act, a WMA is an arrangement made by CDS participants for the:

collection, sorting and aggregation of empty containers; and
reuse, recycling or other appropriate disposal of empty containers.

The WMA must also give affect to the CDS principles. The Territory Government has developed CDS principles for ensuring an effective, efficient and equitable WMA.

The CDS principles are available by contacting our office containerdeposit@nt.gov.au

Applications for CDS Collection Depots approvals are open. For an application form, contact our office via containerdeposit@nt.gov.au

If you would like more information about applying for a CDS Collection Approval email containerdeposit@nt.gov.au

Please send your completed applications to:

Address:
NT Environment Protection Authority
GPO BOX 3675, DARWIN NT, 0801

Email: containerdeposit@nt.gov.au

Fax: 08 8924 4053

Retailers

Under the Container Deposit Scheme (CDS), retailers are required to ensure that beverage containers they sell have been approved. Retailers are under no obligation to accept delivery of empty containers or pay the refund amount in exchange for delivered containers.

However, if a beverage retailer chooses to participate in the program by providing the refund on empty containers or operating a reverse vending machine they will not be excluded. They will, however, be required to obtain the appropriate Collection Depot approval (refer to collection depot section above).

It is an offence against section 13 of the Act for a person to supply a beverage in a regulated container to a beverage retailer for sale by the retailer unless the container is an approved container.

Further, it is an offence against section 14 of the Act for a beverage retailer to sell a beverage in a regulated container unless the container is an approved container.

For information on retailer obligations or the CDS email containerdeposit@nt.gov.au