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Quick Win4–6 weeks

Containers for Change

Recycling for revenue. Zero capital outlay, no cash handling.

Profit margin100%
200-home village$5,400annual revenue
Time to launch4–6 weeks
The case for it

Queensland's container refund scheme pays 10c per eligible drink container. Register the association for a Scheme ID, set up a collection point in the village, run a small fortnightly drop-off roster, and refunds deposit straight into the association's bank account. No cash, no float, no till.

Average revenue by village size.

VillageAnnual revenueAnnual profitHours / week (team)
100 homes$2,700$2,7001 hr / week
200 homes$5,400$5,4002 hrs / week
300 homes$8,100$8,1002–3 hrs / week

Figures are per total homes, not per participating home. The benchmark already reflects realistic partial participation; you don't need full village uptake to hit these numbers.

Benefits to the village.

  1. Visible environmental contribution residents can be proud of.

  2. Low-barrier way for residents to contribute who can't or won't volunteer at events.

  3. Sustainability story to attract prospective buyers.

  4. Funds flow back into village amenities. Closes the loop on resident contribution.

Setup actions.

  1. Register with Container Exchange (CoEx)

    Sign the association up at containersforchange.com.au. Free, online, no commitment.

  2. Link the Scheme ID to the bank account

    Refunds direct-deposit each time bags are dropped off.

  3. Order branded bins

    120L or 240L from the official online shop. Clean, clearly labelled, purposeful.

  4. Place 4–6 bins at high-traffic spots

    Clubhouse, BBQ area, pool, mailbox area.

  5. Recruit 2–3 container coordinators

    Fortnightly rotation, around 1 hour per fortnight each.

  6. Announce launch

    Via BillabongLife notifications and clubhouse posters.

Operating model.

Volunteers consolidate bags weekly and drop off fortnightly at the nearest refund point. Clear signage on each bin prevents contamination from non-eligible containers (juice cartons, milk bottles). Refunds deposit directly to the association's bank account via the Scheme ID; the treasurer reconciles monthly with one transaction per drop-off.

Where BillabongLife fits.

The software side

Roster, notifications, and a monthly newsletter line.

Containers for Change runs almost entirely on Silver. The activity calendar handles the drop-off rotation; bulk-email keeps residents engaged with a monthly stat in the newsletter. No Gold features required.

Silver tierActivities calendarSchedules the fortnightly drop-off rotation so the next coordinator is on the hook.
Silver tierBulk SMS & emailMonthly stat in the community newsletter — “we recycled X containers, raised $Y”.
Tier recommendationSilver-tier feasible. Most villages will already be running this on the basic operational toolkit.
Want one of these?

A tailored playbook for your village.

Tell us your size and stage and we'll send a costed proposal with revenue projections specific to your village, plus a 30-minute call.