WITH the installation of a high-tech ‘Reverse Vending Machine’ at the Hamilton Bowling Club this week, locals can look forward to helping keep the environment free of litter, recycle various materials used in drink containers and give their bank accounts, favourite charity or sporting club a financial boost.

A crane carefully placed the unit into a corner of the club’s car park on Wednesday morning, and after some preliminary setup work now just needs to be connected to an electricity supply to be ready to operate from November 1, the day Victoria’s new container deposit scheme (CDS) begins.

Every eligible container - mostly covering drink containers typically used outside of home such as cans and soft drink plastic bottles - will return 10 cents each.

Club member, Russell Sherren, said they were contacted by the operator, TOMRA Cleanaway - appointed to Western Victoria by the Victorian Government - as they needed to find a suitable location for it.

“They approached us, actually,” he said.

“They were very, very keen to get hold of a charity organisation or sporting club, because they wanted the money to go that way, more so than the supermarkets where a lot of them sit.

“People will be getting some benefit out of it … and because our car park was close to the city centre, it suited them really well.”

Mr Sherren said the usual days and hours of operation may need to be confirmed to not clash with events at the club, but in any case, it would definitely not be 24 hours a day.

“It’ll operate between 7 in the morning and 10 o’clock (at night),” he said.

“Then they can shut it down automatically from their base.”

TOMRA Cleanaway will deliver the CDS in 28 Local Government Areas across the west of Victoria and western suburbs of Melbourne, with almost 200 refund points to be established.

It has been estimated half a billion eligible drink containers are disposed of annually across this region alone.

Mr Sherren said along with the final details of the equipment and operation being worked out, the community would have an ‘ambassador’ for the scheme to visit the location and help with the hopeful November 1 local launch and helping people with the process of depositing containers.