7 Billion Containers Recycled Through Return and Earn

The NSW Government’s Return and Earn scheme has reached the enormous milestone of 7 billion drink containers recycled via the scheme.

More than $700 million in container refunds have now been earned by NSW residents. The scheme has also achieved a 52 per cent reduction in the volume of drink container litter in NSW and delivered more than 625,000 tonnes in materials recycled.

Member for Oatley, Mark Coure said, that since its inception in 2017, the scheme has proved to be widely successful and beneficial to local residents and our local environment.

“In the Oatley electorate alone, over 50 million drink containers have been returned via the numerous Reverse Vending Machines across the local area,” Mr Coure said.

“Thanks to the Return and Earn scheme, countless drink containers have been prevented from polluting our environment and it has importantly helped to protect the beautiful Georges River from unwanted plastic waste,”

Minister for Environment and Heritage, James Griffin said, Return and Earn has well and truly become part of life in New South Wales with 78 per cent of adults having participated and two-thirds of participants doing so once a month or more.

“Return and Earn is a triumph because it hits that sweet spot of improving our environment and delivering direct economic wins to the community,” Minister Griffin said.

“Not only is it having a measurable environmental impact with two in every three containers supplied in NSW redeemed through the scheme for recycling, Return and Earn has also become a stalwart of community fundraising activities in NSW.

Alongside the scheme’s environmental benefits it has also seen over $30 million raised for charities such as PCYC NSW, the Starlight Foundation and other community groups via generous donations

Return and Earn is a partnership between the NSW Government, scheme coordinator Exchange for Change and network operator TOMRA Cleanaway. Launched in December 2017 it has become the state’s largest litter initiative.

More information on Return and Earn is available at www.returnandearn.org.au.