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The government will ask for feedback on the proposed inclusion of glass wine and spirit bottles in the scheme next month.Credit:Getty

“We want to include glass wine and spirit bottles to ramp up our recycling efforts,and put even more money back into the pockets of Queenslanders,” Palaszczuk told parliament.

The scheme allows some of the 3 billion drink containers used across the state each year to be collected and returned to refund points for 10¢.

Dubbed “containers for change”,the program was launched four years ago this month and has recycled about 5.5 billion smaller glass and plastic bottles and cans.

This has resulted in $540 million in refunds,with $8.1 million being paid to charities,community organisations and schools.

“This is a scheme aimed at reducing litter,but it’s done so much more for our community,for employment,for charity and for our environment,” Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon said.

She said a discussion paper would be released next month for public and industry feedback,with a meeting planned for the state’s wine producers.

Before the scheme,only about 18 per cent of drink containers bought across the state were recycled,lifting to more than 65 per cent this year.

This is despite the non-profit organisation set up to run the scheme,Container Exchange,naming a target of recovering 85 per cent of the containers by July.

Last year,a spokesperson for the body said a pandemic-related drop in drink consumption led to a decline in participation in the scheme.

Those in NSW,the ACT and the Northern Territory do not set targets.

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