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Make a return

Make a return

How to make a return
CDS Vic will provide a 10 cent refund for every eligible drink container returned from 1 November.    Every bottle, can and carton you return helps to divert valuable containers from landfill. 
Eligible containers
Most aluminium, glass, plastic and liquid paperboard (carton) drink containers between 150mL and 3 litres are eligible. Keep the lids on, we recycle them too! 
Refund point types

There are hundreds of refund points across Victoria, so look out for your local. The network has more than 600 refund points.

Donation & other refund types
There are multiple ways to receive your 10 cent refund. You can either keep your refund, or support your favourite cause with a donation. 
Get involved

Get involved

Fundraising
CDS Vic gives charities and community groups the opportunity to raise funds while making an impact. 
Donating
Your eligible containers can help others. Donate your valuable container refunds at your nearest refund point. 
Scouts Victoria

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.

Message in a Bottle

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.

Tennis Victoria

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 partnership

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.

Beverage industry partners
Find out more about participating in Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme
About us
Sorting eligible containers before returning

About us

About CDS Vic
CDS Vic is part of Victoria’s goal to be a leader in the creation of a stronger circular economy.
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News

Message in a Bottle

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Young Victorians have had the opportunity to share why recycling matters to them, thanks to Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme. At Scienceworks in Spotswood, an installation showing the life cycle of a plastic water bottle will be on display until 27 January.  

Called Message in a Bottle, the installation was created in celebration of CDS Vic’s first birthday. As well as demonstrating the recycling process, it includes messages from school kids sharing why recycling matters to them.  

On launch day, Anastasia, a student at Brighton Beach Primary School, said that getting involved in recycling was both fun and important.  

“It’s a really great opportunity to fix everything we did wrong in the past with the environment,” she said. “You get a bit of money out of [returning containers] but you’re also doing something great for the environment.”

This was just the kind of impact Museums Victoria CEO and Director Lynley Crosswell was hoping the installation would have.  

“[Message in a Bottle] is set to encourage and empower the next generation to become real pioneers in building a cleaner future,” she said.  

VicReturn CEO Jim Round said it was all about minimising waste.  

“We want to start those behaviours young,” he said. “We want to see them understanding what you need to do with recycling and collecting their bottles and cans and taking them back so the journey can start again.”

State Minister for the Environment Steve Dimopoulos was also on hand to celebrate.

“Part of what we’re doing here is teaching people the importance of the circular economy and how you can be a part of that. It always starts with young people,” he said.  

“Some of those messages are really beautiful in their simplicity and their honesty.”  

Keen to come get involved?