The 10-cent Container Deposit Scheme enables people in NSW to return empty beverage containers between 150 millilitres and three litres to collect points for a 10-cent refund.

The financial management of the scheme will be the responsibility of a single coordinator, which will be appointed in early 2017.

People will be able to receive refunds on their containers from July 1, 2017.

Member for Bathurst Paul Toole said this scheme was a long time coming.

“The support from all sides of politics for the NSW Government’s Container Deposit Scheme was overwhelming,” he said.

“This is something that the community has been asking of their political representatives for decades and will help meet the Premier’s Priority target of reducing litter by 40 per cent by 2020.”

Beverage containers make up 49 per cent of litter by volume, according to the 2015-16 National Litter Index, and 43 per cent of the total volume was containers that would be caught by the Container Deposit Scheme.

“This is a clear sign that there is likely to be a direct environmental benefit to our parks, waterways and beaches when [the scheme] comes in. Giving people a financial incentive to do the right thing will benefit everyone,” Mr Toole said.

Beverage operators will be responsible for covering the cost of refunds.

All beverage suppliers and retailers must sell eligible beverage containers displaying the approved Container Deposit Scheme labelling, which will be developed in the coming months.

In addition to a scheme coordinator, the Environment Minister will appoint network operators, who will be responsible for the operation of the scheme.

A number of containers are not eligible for the scheme.

These are ones not typically found in the litter stream, such as plain milk, wine, pure fruit juice, health tonics and large flavoured milk containers.

For more information about the scheme, visit the waste and recycling section of the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) website.