Australia is surrounded by sea. Disused packaging inevitably finds its way to the sea and back onto our beaches.
In years gone by Victoria had a return bottle and can for cash scheme which unfortunately was rescinded many years ago. They do have an active recycling program and some scrap metal businesses will buy cans for cash.
However South Australia who started their scheme in 1977 are now celebrating forty years in protecting the environment in this way. See more here
In 2012 the Northern Territory started a Cash For Containers program that has been going great guns and substantially reducing the number of containers going to tips or let loose into the wild.
New South Wales with their Return and Earn and Queensland with their single use plastic bag band and Cash for Cans programs are coming on-board now too.
www.ausmepa.org.au