City of Fremantle winning with waste
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Fremantle's Containers for Change Refund Point has been recognised as WA's best medium-sized operator at the 2023 Change Maker Awards.
The winners were announced at an awards night on Friday, which celebrated those who go above and beyond to save plastic, glass and aluminium 10c eligible containers from landfill.
Fremantle's Containers for Change Refund Point was judged on its achievements in innovation, brand recognition, customer experience, safety, inclusivity and staff engagement.
The Change Maker Awards also included categories for individuals, businesses, schools, community groups and charities.
Fremantle Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge said the refund point is a very popular service.
"It's the first time a local government has won this award category and a testament to the wonderful, committed, community-orientated team," Mayor Fitzhardinge said.
In one year, the Fremantle Containers for Change Refund Point saved 6.7million containers from landfill. That’s enough to stretch from Fremantle to Exmouth.
It also put $420,000 of container refunds back into the community; $62,456 to community groups, schools, and charities; and $185,000 to local businesses.
Containers for Change is a statewide container deposit scheme. Fremantle is one of 260 refund points across WA.
Returned containers are processed and recycled into new products, supporting the circular economy.
The City of Fremantle, working with the community, is striving to reduce waste (ultimately to zero), through environmentally responsible strategies.
The Fremantle Containers for Change Refund Point is located at 83 Knutsford Street and is open everyday except Wednesdays and public holidays. It also provides collections from businesses, schools, private parties and super-collectors. It has supported large-scale events at Fremantle Prison, Gage Roads Brew Co. and High Voltage.
This is the second statewide waste award that the City has won in as many weeks, having taken out the WasteSorted Award for its Recycling Centre in September.