Circular Economy // Are refillable beer bottles again possible in Australia? By Robert Kelman “We already getting good The Oregon bottle scheme coordinator worked with O-I to design a standard refillable beer bottle. SURELY THE holy grail of the circular resource savings – virgin economy when it comes to wide-scale material reductions of 37 per use of refillable drink containers has cent across the board – but been written off as a possibility in Australia. But perhaps the old may there are additional energy become the new again. and greenhouse gas savings When single-use drink containers from glass recycling.” such as aluminium cans and plastic bottles became common in the 1970s, refillable containers and the market share of refillable containers is systems developed to recover and 30 per cent. refill those containers went by the Glass recovery and recycling wayside. The environment bore the generally, extending from the advent brunt of this change, with beverage of CDS, particularly in NSW and QLD, container litter in states, aside from is on the up. Industry sources advise South Australia, generally considered that the general average quantity of to make up around 40 per cent of the recycled glass in your beer bottle litter stream by volume. is now around 37 per cent. This The re-emergence of drink recycled-content is much higher container deposit schemes (CDS) at up to 62 per cent in Queensland across Australia outside of SA, manufactured bottles. beginning with the Northern Territory So, not only are we already getting in 2011, NSW in 2017, the ACT and good resource savings – virgin material QLD in 2018, and WA by 2020, is reductions of 37 per cent across the good news in and of itself. The NSW board – but there are additional deposit/refund scheme is proving energy and greenhouse gas savings yet again that CD schemes increase from glass recycling. For this reason, recycling rates and reduce litter, but the glass bottle industry wants cullet it also presents a great opportunity (glass pieces for recycling) and glass for the return of refillables. like aluminium is endlessly recyclable Canada, with deposit schemes – i.e. unlike PET, which loses its across all provinces, retains a 30 per fibre-durability (PET can however be cent market share of refillable beer used in a composite for things like bottles. On average, these containers outdoor furniture etc). are returned for refilling 15 times. For every 10 per cent increase The EU similarly retains around 32 per in cullet going into the bottle cent market share in refillables, both manufacturers furnace three per cent plastic and glass; the Middle East has less energy, and five per cent less 21 per cent and the Asia Pacific region greenhouse gas emissions result. This is due to the fact the temperature the 10-cent refund through either of the furnace is reduced. All these retail or depot outlets. savings in virgin resources, energy It’s estimated that Coca Cola’s and greenhouse gas emissions in turn existing beverage supply includes of course save producers money. seven per cent refillable PET and The same and primary mechanism 12 per cent refillable glass. That’s a required to facilitate large volumes total of 21 per cent of Coca Cola’s of recycled glass being available products sold globally being housed to bottle manufacturers could now in refillable containers. also be used to develop a refillable All that’s required now are willing container supply-chain in Australia. producers - most likely starting with That is, the system and those bearded boys and hipster girls infrastructure needed to get the from the craft beer brewing sector - a empty bottles back for recycling can bottle washing machine (costs about also be used to get empty bottles back $150,000); a bar code to discriminate A shift back to refillable drink containers would for refilling. A deposit/refund scheme between refillable containers and be in keeping with the public momentum for provides this. Consumers return their single-use containers; and a reverse waste and resource recovery solutions. one-way or refillable containers for logistics system to get the empty 34 INSIDEWASTE APRIL/MAY 2019 Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au // Circular Economy “A shift back to refillable drink containers would be in keeping THISwith the publicYAWEI momentum and hunger LASER for waste and IS THIS YAWEIresource recovery solutions; LASER and aligns well with the IStrend to We’ve shredded DESIGNEDfood and beverage provenance/sustainability, TO toCUT which the DESIGNEDcraft brewing sector aspires.”TO CUT the price, not the ABOVErefillable containers THEfrom the for a REST.waxed cardboard box to carry quality. ABOVEcollection pointTHE back to the brewer. REST.and return their empty refillable What’s more, there are plenty bottles. To date, 10 individual brewers NOWprecedents, so AustraliaTHAT’S doesn’t have are utilising APPLIEDthe bottle service and a Now that’s NOW theTHAT’S burden of being a leader on APPLIEDcider maker is coming on board soon. this issue. Additional discussions are occurring THINKING.The US state of Oregon, for example, with a kombucha label and a clear through the Oregon Beverage Recycling glass bottle is also in development. Applied Thinking. THINKING.Cooperative (OBRC), has recently As outlined above, a number of EU FOR MO Y CONS CES WA E N T TR U ST launched a multi-brand refillable beer states have maintained both refillable LU E U U ED E A Y D C R V Y T I bottle and logistics service under glasses and plastic drink containers V O A N E the existing 10-cent deposit/refund (primarily PET containers above 1.25L H scheme. So far, the volumes are small size). Again, these PET units are at only around two million beer bottles slightly thicker than their single-use per annum, but the resource savings counterparts. are enormous, and interest is growing. Bringing back the 10-cent deposit OBRC estimates that the trippage on single-use containers is the first rate for each refillable beer bottle is part in the equation to bringing back 25 times; in other words, their aim is refillables to Australia. that the average refillable beer bottle A shift back to refillable drink that goes through its system is filled, containers would be in keeping with returned, washed and refilled 25 times the public momentum and hunger for before breakage and recycling. The waste and resource recovery solutions; standardised refillable bottle, which is and aligns well with the trend to produced by O-I, is thicker and heavier food and beverage provenance/ than other bottles, and utilised by sustainability, to which the craft multiple breweries with separate brewing sector aspires – but let’s hope labelling. refillables don’t just reside with that While the original bottle is sector. marginally more expensive than the Robert Kelman is director of Reloop non-refillable container (as it’s thicker Pacific, contracted by EU-based and production volumes are lower), advocacy organisations the Reloop With its extremeit’s a one-off accuracy, purchase speedand the onlyand consistencyPlatform, promoting of cut,a circular combined economy with very low operating costs, the additionalnew Yawei cost afterHLF initial fiber supply laser is is includingthe perfect refillable way containers, to take single- your business to the next level. With its extreme accuracy,the washing. speed and consistencyuse of cut,plastic combined bans and withincreasing very low operating costs, the new Yawei HLF fiber laser is the perfect way to take your business to the next level. Dollar for dollar,Consumers the newcan pay HLF a $3 is depositin a league recycled of content.its own, iw opening up possibilities for companies Heavy duty, reliable, cost effective recycling Dollar for dollar,all across the newthe laserHLF iscutting in a league sector; of from its own, start-ups opening through up possibilities to full production, for companies 3-shift solutions all across theenvironments. laser cutting sector; from start-ups through to full production, 3-shift environments. Australia’s favourite solution for all kinds of waste/ With a quality German built Precitec auto-focus cutting head, IPG laser source,materials Siemens reduction applications With a quality840DSL German controller built Precitec and a fabricated, auto-focus stress-relieved cutting head, IPGfully laserannealed source, frame Siemens it really is a cut above Extensive range available: 840DSL controllerthe rest. and a fabricated, stress-relieved fully annealed frame it really is a cut above the rest. • Vision Series Shredders • Gran-Calibur Series Granulators • Complete recycling lines; tyres, e-waste, cable, For more information: plastic washing & drying. Call: 03 9706 8066 For more information: Email: [email protected] Call: 03 9706 8066 Visit: www.appliedmachinery.com.au Email: [email protected] Visit: www.appliedmachinery.com.au Connect with us socially Connect with us socially APP054-Yawei-FPC-1.indd 1 22/12/16 9:27 am APP054-Yawei-FPC-1.indd 1 22/12/16 9:27 am Bottle Box is a waxed reusable box for storing a carton of reusable beer bottles. Daily news updates at www.insidewaste.com.au APRIL/MAY 2019 INSIDEWASTE 35.