For the Victorian SES Emerald Unit, being part of Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme provides a major opportunity for community engagement. The Unit operates a drive through over-the-counter CDS Vic refund point, where people can return their eligible containers for a 10 cent refund. 

Olinka, who volunteers with the SES Emerald, said that the greatest benefit they had found so far being a CDS Vic partner was the opportunity to connect with audiences that they may not have otherwise been able to reach.

“This starts from little kids, going right up to senior citizens who come through and drop off their containers for refunds for themselves or for fundraising,” she said. “As people come through here, we talk to them about the current weather that we’re expecting and what they can do to prepare their properties.”

Fellow volunteer, Craig added that when people come to drop off their drink containers, they “look around the facility, they look at the trucks, we talk to them about where the money goes that we’re making. We talk to them about the positive benefits to the environment.”

Reflecting on the work the volunteers do sorting and processing all the drink containers that get returned to the SES Emerald refund point, Craig, said that while this was not necessarily the most glamorous kind of work, “this is the contribution I can make really easily. And when I can’t go out and do other things, I can do this… and I really quite enjoy it.”