Keep Australia Beautiful founder and chairman Ian Kiernan says a legal challenge to Northern Territory container deposit laws threatens the future of recycling around the nation.
Coca-Cola Amatil says it is considering court action against the Territory scheme, which is due to begin next year.
The company says the laws could breach a Commonwealth Act that guarantees standard regulation of the sale of goods around Australia.
Mr Kiernan says a successful challenge would derail the push for a national container deposit scheme.
“If they win, it will be a huge win for the irresponsible beverage industry and a huge loss for the environment, and the citizens of Australia,” he said.
Mr Kiernan says greed and arrogance are behind the plan to challenge Territory container deposit laws that provide for a 10 cent refund on containers.
He says the company is worried the scheme will spread to other jurisdictions.
“Coca-Cola Amatil is a multinational (and) this is just a disgusting display of their arrogance,” he said.
“I mean, they sell us the beverage product, they sell us the container, plus a profit, plus GST, then they expect us to dispose of it.
“That is no longer acceptable.”
Coca-Cola Amatil corporate affairs manger Alec Wagstaff says the Territory law breaches the Commonwealth Mutual Recognition Act.
“That is an Act that says if a product is legal to sell in one state, it is legal to sell in another state,” he said.
“It was introduced in the ‘90s to promote a single, national economy.”
“So for one state, or in this case territory, to go it alone and create a non-harmonised regulatory system, we believe breaches that Act.
“Put simply, if it is legal to sell a beverage container in Queensland, the Mutual Recognition Act says it is legal to sell that container in other states.”
South Australia has had a similar scheme to that planned for the Territory in place for decades.
