Alice Springs has been nominated as a finalist in the local government category of the United Nations World Environment Day Awards for their Cash for Containers scheme.

 

Territory Minister for the Environment Karl Hampton said that the Alice Springs Town Council were to be commended for implementing a Cash for Containers Scheme even before the Territory wide scheme was launched, affording Central Australian’s the opportunity to recycle their containers for cash. 

 

“I congratulate Mayor Damien Ryan and the Alice Springs Town Council on this prestigious acknowledgement from the United Nations,” Mr Hampton said.

 

“When the scheme originally launched in 2009, the program proved very popular with the local community that more than seven million containers were voluntarily collected in the program’s first year of operation.


“The ASTC and Mayor Damien Ryan have shown initiative and environmental acumen which in turn reduced the cost to their waste management program, and encouraged recycling and produced local green jobs.”


Mayor of Alice Springs, Damien Ryan, said the overwhelming support from the local community for Cash for Containers proved Alice Springs was more than ready for the Territory container deposit scheme.


"We are proud our town has been acknowledged as a finalist in this award.  It shows the community's commitment to the Council's Cash for Containers scheme,” Mr Ryan said. 


“At more than 16 million containers already collected by local Centralian residents for the life of this scheme, it is the community who has made this scheme a success."