Sunshine Coast Airport has announced a new partnership with Containers for Change, implementing the container refund scheme throughout the Airport terminal. Passengers can now dispose of bottles and containers in specially marked bins with the first round of money raised supporting Coolum and North Shore Coast Care.
Sunshine Coast Airport CEO Chris Mills said the Partners for Change program would raise money while also supporting the Airport’s environment, conservation, and sustainability goals.
“This is a great initiative which will provide vital funds that will benefit local community groups and the environment,” Mr Mills said.
“The program will help increase container recycling and reduce waste, while raising awareness of Coolum and North Shore Coast Care’s on-going environmental conservation work.
“We now have 15 Containers for Change bins at convenient locations in the terminal.
“By reducing waste and raising money, our partnership with Containers for Change will help us continue to support our regions biodiversity values.”
Container Exchange CEO Natalie Roach said a lack of dedicated drink container bins in public places like airports often meant millions of recyclable and refundable containers were still going to waste across Queensland each year.
“Sunshine Coast locals and tourists have embraced Containers for Change, returning more than 487 million drink containers for recycling since 2018,” Ms Roach said.
“However, millions of recyclable containers still end up as waste or litter each year, representing a missed opportunity for locals, charities, and community groups to cash in on 10-cent refunds.
“Through this exciting partnership even more containers will be collected at the airport for recycling, with the 10-cent refunds donated to local charities and community groups at a time many of them are facing the pressures of rising costs.
“This partnership also means interstate flyers already familiar with the benefits of container recycling in their home state can continue to let those good habits soar as part of their journey through Sunshine Coast Airport.”
About Sunshine Coast Airport
Sunshine Coast Airport is the fastest growing airport in Australia and the first airport in Australia to hold Level 3+ Carbon Neutrality status. By 2040, total direct employment at the Airport is expected to grow from 530 to 2,400 direct jobs and contribute an estimated $406million in total to Australia’s GDP.
Sunshine Coast Airport Pty Ltd operates and manages Sunshine Coast Airport, the gateway to the Sunshine Coast and Noosa regions, under a 99-year lease from Sunshine Coast Council which commenced in December 2017. In July 2023, Sunshine Coast Airport was declared a priority development area (PDA) by the Queensland Government.
Sunshine Coast Airport services 15 destinations including Adelaide, Albury, Auckland, Avalon, Cairns, Darwin, Launceston*, Mackay, Melbourne, Mildura, Newcastle, Rockhampton, Sydney, Townsville and Whitsunday Coast.
*Services to commence on 29 March 2024.
About Containers for Change
Cleaning up our state since November 2018, Containers for Change aims to increase recycling rates and reduce litter by allowing Queenslanders to exchange eligible drink containers to either earn a 10- cent refund for each container returned or donate the proceeds of those refunds to their nominated community group.
Container Exchange is the not-for-profit organisation that implements Containers for Change in Queensland on behalf of the Queensland Government.
