Western Australia's Peak Environment group welcomed the opening of a glass recycling plant for WA by Donna Faragher MLC Minister for the Environment, and renewed its call for the introduction of a recycling refund scheme to boost recycling in WA.

Conservation Council Director Piers Verstegen said "This new facility is a step forward in addressing the ongoing waste and recycling crisis in Western Australia."

"Western Australia has the worst recycling record in the nation, with over 80% of bottles and cans ending up in landfill."

"Recycling glass and other packaging materials significantly reduces carbon pollution, so improving our recycling is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to tackle climate change."

"The majority of households play their part by using kerbside recycling bins; however we now need government and industry to come to the table with solutions for the 50% of beverage containers that are consumed away from home where no recycling facilities exist."

"The recycling plant that was opened today is a step forward that will allow glass to be recycled in WA, rather than transported to South Australia for recycling."

"The next critical step to improving our recycling in WA is to introduce a recycling refund scheme for cans and bottles like the one that has been successfully operating in South Australia for years."

"South Australia achieves four times our recycling rate for cans and bottles for one simple reason - they have a 10c recycling refund system in place.

"This simple initiative has very strong support in the community and could lift WA recycling from the worst in Australia to equal the best almost overnight.

Big beverage companies like Coke and Fosters have opposed a recycling refund scheme.

Mr Verstegen said "The State Government must issue these companies a challenge to stop opposing recycling - either they must come up with another proven way to achieve the same recycling rate, or support recycling refunds for cans and bottles in WA."

"Recycling refund schemes are in place in many countries around the world and have many benefits including creating local employment and reducing litter and glass injuries."

"In the past we have had glass recycling plants in WA; however without a recycling refund scheme they have closed down because it has been easier and cheaper to dump glass in landfill than to recycle."

"The increased WA landfill levy is another part of the picture to increase recycling, by making it more expensive to dump waste, and raising funds for initiatives like this glass recycling plant."