It includes a network of locations close to Coles supermarkets and surf lifesaving clubs, which are part of the company's network.

Envirobank Recycling is owned and managed by Narelle Anderson, recently judged one of the 50 most influential entrepreneurs in Australia.

Envirobank is the “brainchild” born of frustration at the way that Australian recycling bins are always contaminated with unrecyclable waste.

Ms Anderson, a great-niece of former Queensland senator Neville Bonner, travelled to the United States in 2000 to explore its container deposit schemes after buying and selling her first waste company.

“In the States, they use reverse vending machines to complete the transactions,” she said.

“I brought that technology back to Australia and was knocking on the doors of the beverage industry at the time saying this is a really good idea.

“But I could not get any traction.”

The machines accept recyclable materials such as bottles and spit out a small refund or shopping voucher.

Envirobank began operations when the container deposit industry “opened up” in the Northern Territory.

“The business has just grown from there. I kind of have the reputation for doing stuff that other people say can’t be done,” she said.

“We were told [container refunds] will not work in the Territory. It won’t work in remote communities.”

She travelled to Millingimbi in East Arnhem Land to learn why.

“You can get [from there] to Indonesia quicker than to anywhere else in Australia,” she laughed.

“I went up there, took a reverse vending machine with me and attached it to the local store. I spoke to all the Aunties and spoke to all the kids about the recycling program.

“They were able to buy groceries and from there we moved across the Territory installing different remote and mobile connections.”

That is the genesis of the model coming to Queensland.

Queensland plans to open 232 collection points, with the not-for-profit company COEX chosen to drive the program. The waste lobby has raised concerns the points cannot all be in place by the time the scheme launches on November 1.

There are more than 2.4 billion drink containers produced in Queensland every year.

Envirobank Recycling now runs collection points in New South Wales, Northern Territory and South Australia.

Other companies have also quietly entered the Queensland scheme, including TOMRA, which operates the New South Wales scheme and will operate 10 collections sites in Greater Brisbane.

Where are Envirobank’s 48 collection points?

Envirobank Recycling's effort is part of the state's first-ever container exchange refund scheme run by not-for-profit company COEX (Container Exchange), branded as Containers for Change.

COEX acting chairman Alby Taylor said Queensland was learning from the experiences in other states.

“We will have depot sites as well as bag drop options in many communities, with many operations benefiting local community groups and charities,” he said.

Coles Supermarkets general manager Jerry Farrell said Envirobank collection points would go into car parks at Coles Supermarkets.

“This will make it easy for our customers to return their empty containers and reap the benefits,” he said.

Envirobank would set up “mobile” collection points among Queensland’s 58 surf lifesaving clubs, Ms Anderson said.

Surf Life Saving Queensland chief executive John Brennan said the link would help their 58 local surf clubs raise money.

“Every valid container put in a donation point at one of our clubs is a new stream of income that will be re-invested straight back into their lifesaving work in their local community,” he said.

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