The Government has announced they will implement a beverage container return scheme, where consumers will get 10-20 cents back when they recycle their drink bottles.

Associate Minister for Environment Eugenie Sage made the announcement at the WasteMINZ conference in Hamilton on Wednesday morning, saying work had begun to develop the scheme.

Plastic and glass drink containers will carry a refundable deposit, at around 10-20 cents each.

When consumers return and recycle their containers to a collection depot or drop-off point, they will get the deposit back.

"What we are announcing today is an agreement to start the investigation and design stage for a CRS – or container return scheme – learning from the best international models but designed to meet New Zealand's geographic and societal needs.

The Ministry for the Environment received a joint Waste Minimisation Fund application for the design and development of a national container return scheme from the Auckland Council and Marlborough District Council.

The project will be supported by Government funding of nearly $1 million ($966,000) from the Waste Minimisation Fund.

The successful application will see the two councils work with the Ministry for the Environment and representatives from the beverage, packaging and recycling industries, councils, retailers, charitable organisations, Māori, consumer representatives, and product stewardship groups.

The design proposal will be presented to the Government by August 2020.

The scheme is expected to affect the types and amounts of recyclables collected in kerbside recycling - though kerbside collections will not disappear.

"A container return scheme would change the way New Zealanders see beverage containers," says Eugenie.

"They would again become something of value, and we would see increased recycling and new opportunities for refilling."

Getting a deposit back would incentivise higher recycling rates for consumers, says Eugiene.

There are at least 40 container return schemes globally, most Australian states have the schemes as do parts of Europe and the United States.