WHO wouldn’t like to be paid for recycling their cans and bottles?

This is the idea behind the Cash For Containers Campaign, which aims to show the many benefits a container deposit system would bring to NSW.

On Wednesday, campaign manager Justin Bonsey and member Anna-Jane Linke visited Bega to film an experiment as well as show NSW Treasurer Andrew Constance that such a system would work, similar to the system currently operating in South Australia.

The experiment involved leaving a pile of cans and bottles in Littleton Gardens, with a sign “free take one” and filming how many people came to pick one up – which unsurprisingly was not any.

However, then a sign was put up saying “10cents for every container collected”, after which passers-by would take one and collect their money.

Mr Bonsey said this experiment had been replicated all over NSW and demonstrates that a container deposit scheme would be successful.

“With 84 per cent public support in NSW and 15,000 drink containers landfilled or littered every minute in Australia, it's a no brainer to clean up our communities, waterways and coastline,” he said.

“Eight-seven per cent of Bega locals surveyed today support a 10c deposit to increase recycling and feel that the NSW Parliament should pass it before the election.

Mr Bonsey said several local schools have even expressed an interest in starting their own recycling strategies. 

According to Mr Bonsey, there are large social, economic and environmental benefits from such a system, which each year would save councils $78million, provide a $19million income for NSW schools and charities as well as $157million in private capital and investment.

This is not to mention the jobs which it would create – which in NSW is estimated to be around 1030 direct and 690 indirect positions.

“If the beverage industry, led by Coca-Cola, Lion Nathan and Schweppes, were not so aggressively lobbying the NSW government with misinformation, we would already have it in NSW,” Mr Bonsey said.

“We call on NSW Treasurer Andrew Constance to stand with the community and pass container deposit legislation before the March election.

“If NSW passes it, other states are sure to follow suit.”