Turning containers into conservation

Woodfordia is turning trash into trees thanks to volunteers at the Woodfolk Folk Festival collecting 10 cent containers to fund site conservation.

Since 2022, the Woodford Folk Festival has returned more than 220,000 beverage containers through Containers for Change.

Almost 90,000 were collected at the 2024-25 and processed by Express Recycling at their Burpengary operating depot.

From its Clontarf head office, Express Recycling works with businesses and organisations across South-East Queensland, including Moreton Bay Food and Wine Festival.

Woodfordia Site Manager Chris Shervey said $22,000 raised in the past three years through the 10-cent refund was used to preserve the natural festival grounds.

“We have a monthly Treehuggers and conservatree meet-up on site and use the funds raised to buy mulch, trees, plants and ferns to support our incredible volunteers,” Mr Shervey said.

“Our ability to divert waste streams is getting better every year, with more than 110 volunteers working in our Garbology department at Woodford Folk Festival. 

“We also have a Container Reclaimers sub-department to fish eligible containers out of the yellow-lidded recycling bins so we can claim the 10-cent refund.

“We are really committed to diverting as much waste away from landfill as we can as experience tells us commercial quantities of recycling can end up in landfill due to contamination.”

Express Recycling co-owner Josie Lawrence said: “Our motto is ‘Small change, Big difference’ and this also applies when we’re dealing with our commercial clients.

“There sometimes only needs to be a ‘small change’ in structure or the way things are set up to have a ‘big difference’ in a positive change and outcome.”

Natalie Roach, CEO of Container Exchange, the not-for-profit that runs Containers for Change, said businesses and events were reclaiming costs by collections.

“More than two-in-three eligible beverage containers sold in Queensland are returned through the Containers for Change scheme,” Ms Roach said.

“Most of the containers not recycled through the scheme are consumed at places like events, work, schools, public spaces, hospitality venues and retail venues.

"It's thanks to business-operator partnerships like the one between Woodfordia and Express Recycling we can ensure no container goes to waste."