Published on Thursday, 4 June 2026 at 10:00:41 AM
Alice Springs Town Council is advising residents that its long-running wine and spirit bottle refund program will come to an end on Saturday 26 June 2026.
The program has been operating for more than a decade, helping to reduce litter and encourage recycling by providing a 10-cent refund for glass wine and spirit bottles at the Regional Waste Management Facility.
From 1 July 2026, wine and spirit bottles under 3 litres will be included in the Northern Territory's Container Deposit Scheme (CDS). This means residents will be able to claim their refund through approved CDS collection points, bringing wine and spirit bottles in line with many other eligible drink containers.
As a result, Council's Saturday refund program will no longer be required.
Important dates
- Last day to claim a refund through Council: Saturday 26 June 2026
- Program concludes: Sunday 27 June 2026
- Wine and spirit bottles join the CDS: Wednesday 1 July 2026
What are my options from 1 July?
Residents will continue to have two convenient recycling options:
Claim a refund through the CDS
Take eligible wine and spirit bottles to the local CDS collection point, operated by Envirobank, to receive the container refund.
Recycle at the Regional Waste Management Facility
Residents can continue to drop glass wine and spirit bottles at the recycling area at the Regional Waste Management Facility on any day the facility is open. Bottles deposited this way will be recycled, however no refund will be provided.
Thank you, Alice Springs!
Council would like to thank the many residents who have supported the program over the years. Since its introduction, the initiative has helped divert thousands of bottles from landfill while encouraging recycling across our community.
With wine and spirit bottles now becoming part of the Container Deposit Scheme, residents will have more opportunities than ever to recycle and claim their refund.
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