St Vincent de Paul Society joins forces with Scouts Tasmania to support Tasmanian Government’s Container Refund Scheme.

The St Vincent de Paul Society has formed an alliance with Scouts Tasmania to support the Tasmanian Government’s Container Refund Scheme (CRS). The association will see both state-wide community groups working together to collect recyclables to benefit the Scouting movement in Tasmania and vulnerable people in need across the State.

The CRS, which is intended to commence in late 2022, will provide groups and organisations like Scouts Tasmania and the St Vincent de Paul Society, urgently needed funds to invest back into the community.

St Vincent de Paul Society’s CEO, Lara Alexander, said that the association with Scouts Tasmania will allow two of the States most widespread organisations to access bottles and cans for recycling and to turn them into donations to help their respective organisations.

“Tasmanians are currently discarding millions of dollars’ worth of containers that could be recycled into donations to assist community groups, feed and clothe people in need, and reduce thousands of tonnes of litter and waste going into landfill.

“The CRS is a brilliant and exciting initiative by the Tasmanian Government and one Scouts Tasmania and Vinnies hopes the public will support enthusiastically. Between Scouts Tasmania and Vinnies, we will have numerous collection points across Tasmania so people can donate their recyclable items to a worthy cause and do their bit for the environment.

“The profit-sharing model proposed by the Tasmanian Government will most benefit community groups and charities. It is the only viable option for a CRS in Tasmania. Charities here do not have the multi-million dollars cash reserves required to establish processing facilities across the state. Building, running, and maintaining a recycling plant is best left to professionals so community groups can concentrate on their core activities – building better communities and assisting the most vulnerable in our society,” Mrs Alexander said.

Scouts Tasmania President, Mr Nigel Clutterbuck, said that the focus for the organisation is currently sustainability on all levels. The CRS is a perfect opportunity to intertwine our environmental commitment with the sustainability of Scouts into the future.

“Collecting bottles used to be a major fundraising opportunity for many groups years ago. It’s nice to return to our roots via such an effective and simple idea,” Mr Clutterbuck said.

“By participating in the scheme, it provides a fundraising source for our groups across the state to not just invest back into Scouts but to into community.

“Establishing a partnership with such a well-respected and community focused organisation such as the St Vincent de Paul Society was really important. Scouts Tasmania is looking forward to building on this partnership and getting the best for our members and our State.

“Scouts Tasmania is looking forward to the continued progress and rollout of the Container Refund Scheme,” Mr Clutterbuck said.

_{MEDIA NOTES: The St Vincent de Paul Society was founded in Paris, France in 1833 by a 20-year old Italian student, Frederic Ozanam. Today, the Society operates in 153 countries and has over 800,000 members. Australia has over 60,000 members, dedicated to assisting people in need and combating social injustice. The Society started in Tasmania in 1899 when founders established a Conference in Launceston. From humble beginnings, the Society has grown to 25 Conferences within three Regional Councils across Tasmania. Each Conference undertake a variety of good works, the most recognised being the traditional Vincentian home visits and the annual CEO Sleep-out to draw attention to homelessness.}

_{Media contact, Mark Wells: +61 414 015 966 (24-hours)
© St Vincent de Paul Society and MWPA.}