Barossa Grape & Wine chief executive James March has contacted members to express his “serious concern” over the recently announced review of the Container Deposit Scheme (CDS), “particularly the possibility of extending the scope to include glass wine bottles”

“To introduce a CDS scheme to wine bottles would introduce a significant level of red tape, cost and compliance burden to the many small, medium and large wineries that are so important for South Australia’s economy, tourism, exports and regional health – most concerningly without an evidentiary base for significant litter reduction or improved recycling outcomes”

However, due to the critical financial implications this will have on individual wineries and the region as a whole, “there is more we need to do”, says March. “We need to get our voices heard by as many in Government as possible”

According to March, “if wine bottles were to be included in the CDS, the financial impact on the South Australian wine industry would be significant, with direct costs to wine businesses estimated as approximately $4.5 – $5million per year”

March says under the current scheme, consider what a business could be required to do if wine bottles were included:

• Every bottle of wine that you sell in South Australia will need to have the 10 cent refund statement on the label as prescribed and the label must be approved by the EPA;

• Pay an application fee to the EPA for the label approval – $307.50/1 label , $758.50/6-10 labels, $2,234.50/20+ labels;
• You will need to enter a Waste Management Agreement with a “super collector” and be required to pay them on a quarterly basis: the 10c refund plus a ‘handling’ fee of about another 5 cents per bottle sold in South Australia.

March is encouraging members to contact their local member of the South Australian Parliament, and the responsible Ministers.