Containers for Change returns to Magnetic Island

After a 12-month hiatus, Containers for Change is back on Magnetic Island from today thanks to a new agreement between new operator COEX and Townsville City Council.

The one-year agreement is expected to see almost 3 million containers returned on the island, putting money back in the pockets of residents, local charities and community organisations.

The arrangement will see COEX lease a site at the entrance of the Magnetic Island Transfer Station, while a container deposit facility at Horseshoe Bay will be also installed in the coming months.

It comes after the former container exchange operator ceased service on Magnetic Island in 2025, with Council to reinvest COEX’s lease payments into circular economy projects on the island.

The MCN requested more details regarding the lease arrangement and what groups or projects would benefit from the lease payments?. A spokesperson for TCC said " The lease arrangement between COEX and Townsville City Council is commercial-in-confidence and outlines that the funds will be reinvested into appropriate waste reduction and circular economy projects on the island. Council is finalising arrangements for this process and will provide further information in due course."

Mayor Nick Dametto said the arrangement was a huge win for the island community, which had a strong track record of environmental stewardship.

“Magnetic Island residents are some of Townsville’s best recyclers so it’s fitting the new depot will open during National Recycling Week,” Cr Dametto said.

Many island residents were bitterly dissappointed that the area chosen by TCC within the Transfer Station was next door to the tip shop, which had been used as an overflow area for larger items ie furniture and building supplies etc.

At the TCC meeting on Wednesday, 2 petitions were tabled, requesting that the overflow area be reinstated back to where it originally was, and, the Containers for Change facility be moved. The petitions garnered nearly 500 residents signatures. Those petitons have been referred back to the relevant department.

The MCN requested further information, a spokesperson for TCC said "As previously outlined, the overflow storage area of the Tip Shop is being retained approximately 100m to the rear of the facility on an asphalt hardstand to ensure Island residents have access to both the large item overflow and a container exchange facility."

The spokesperson went on to say "As Council’s facility is an active transfer station, the entire site is considered an operational area, including the location of the former large item overflow area, Council has undertaken all required safety measures to ensure both community and staff safety when establishing the new overflow area."

Cr. Dametto said "Residents will soon be able to access both the new exchange depot at the Magnetic Island Transfer Station and a container deposit facility at Horseshoe Bay."

The MCN requested where the facility in Horseshoe Bay would be located? A spokesperson from TCC said " The Horseshoe Bay container deposit facility will be located on a small parcel of land at the Horseshoe Bay Community Centre. Both sites were endorsed at a Council meeting earlier this year"

Last year, Townsville residents recycled more than 90 million containers through Containers for Change, and almost 650 million containers since the program began eight years ago.

Trevor Evans, CEO at COEX thanked Townsville City Council for their support of the scheme and its expansion on the island. 

“We thank the Townsville City Council for helping provide this important service to the island and look forward to the environmental, social and economic benefits it will deliver.”  

We're committed to diverting more waste from landfill, so it was important we found a solution that allowed both services to operate from the one site,” he said.

To find out more about Containers for Change please head to Containers for Change QLD