The Queensland Government has provided the advice below regarding compliance with the expanded Container Recovery Scheme, commencing 1 November 2023.
The Queensland Government expects compliance with the container refund scheme’s (Scheme) legislative framework including relevant beverage manufacturers taking immediate steps to commence registering products into the Scheme through the COEX portal and that manufacturers of beverage products must have a Container Recovery Agreement in force and display a barcode on containers eligible for a refund under the Scheme to sell products in Queensland.
Where beverage manufacturers have made best endeavours to enter the registration process in a timely way and prior to 1 November 2023, but a Container Recovery Agreement has not been fully executed through no fault of their own, then a beverage manufacturer making ongoing sales in Queensland will not be considered to be offending against Section 99P of the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011 (the Act).
Section 99P of the Act states that a barcode must be displayed on eligible beverage products sold in Queensland.
To allow sufficient time for beverage manufacturers who do not currently have barcodes on their products to transition to the new requirements, the department will provide an initial 12-month grace period for new wine and pure spirit manufacturers to comply with the requirement to display a barcode.
Wine and pure spirit manufacturers should note that a barcode is required to complete the product registration process; however, this barcode is not required to be displayed on the container immediately.
The Queensland Government has also acknowledged that products produced prior to the end of the grace period may be sold after the grace period ends. It is an overarching principle of the transition period that the department does not expect beverage manufacturers to relabel or over sticker existing stock.
Full details can be found on the Department of Environment and Science website.
More information about support for beverage manufacturers is available on the Container for Change website.
COEX can be contacted on 13 42 42 or qldbm@containerexchange.com.au
The next COEX Q&A session on the expanded scheme will be held on Wednesday 8th November. Members can register for the session here.
