Make a return
CDS Vic provides a 10 cent refund for every eligible drink container returned. Each bottle, can and carton that you return helps to divert valuable containers from landfill.
There are hundreds of refund points across Victoria, so look out for your local. The network has more than 600 refund points.
Get involved
CDS Vic is proud to partner with Australian Open (AO) 2025 to make recycling a smash hit on and off the court.
CDS Vic is proud to announce its groundbreaking partnership with Tennis Victoria. This exciting initiative aims to reduce waste, promote recycling, and support grassroots tennis communities across the state to raise funds.
AFL Victoria and CDS Vic have teamed up to support local football clubs across the state in raising funds and promoting sustainability. Through this exciting partnership, CDS Vic is now the Official Recycling Partner of AFL Victoria until 2027.
To celebrate the upcoming first anniversary of the scheme's launch, CDS Vic will launch an interactive installation at Scienceworks to educate young Victorians about recycling.
We’re excited to announce a partnership between Scouts Victoria and CDS Vic, designed to reward Scouts and Scout Groups for their commitment to container recycling.
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There are so many reasons to get involved with CDS Vic, from fundraising for a cause you believe in to knowing you’re making an impact on the environment. For Beach Patrol and Love Our Street volunteers, there’s all that and more. They’re making a measurable difference to the amount of litter in their areas, and the data they’re collecting shows how much of a difference Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme makes.
With volunteers operating from Warrnambool to the Mornington Peninsula, Beach Patrol is dedicated to reducing the impact of pollution caused by plastic and keeping Victoria beautiful. Through regular community clean-ups, they make a positive change to the environment.
Volunteers log the litter they collect through their LitterStopper app. In 2023, up until the Scheme’s launch in November, more than 24 tonnes of litter were collected, including up to 48,000 items eligible for refunds through CDS Vic. Up to December 2024, they had collected 20 tonnes of litter, including up to 17,300 drink containers.
“Our data shows that the average number of [drink containers] collected during our clean ups has more than halved since CDS Vic came into effect,” said Simon Gaites, secretary at Beach Patrol.
Simon added that funds from containers collected by Beach Patrol and Love Our Street volunteers were essential to keeping the organisation running. They’re long-time advocates of CDS Vic and hold regular container drives, on top of collecting containers during their clean-ups.
“Funds help us pay for operational overheads such as insurance and website maintenance. This releases other money we raise to support [our] continued growth,” he said.
For other groups looking to fundraise through CDS Vic, Simon said convenience was key.
“There’s a lot of competition out there! Make it easy for people to drop off their containers,” he said. Beach Patrol also mention CDS Vic in their regular emails to volunteers, encouraging them to download the app for their area and set up Beach Patrol as a Donation Partner.
Building relationships with local depots was also key, Simon said.
“In Bayside for example, we have formed a great partnership with Future Recycling Cheltenham depot. Since inception they have been the number 1 drop off location for Beach Patrol with almost 8,000 containers dropped off.”
Future Recycling have hosted information stalls and donated to Beach Patrol, as well as providing support at events.
Want to know more?
- Donate to Beach Patrol using their Donation Partner ID C2000001025 or using the CDS Vic app for your region
- Head to Beach Patrol’s website, sign up to volunteer and download the LitterStopper app
- Learn more about registering your organisation as a Donation Partner
