Nearly 42.5 million items recorded at Gunnedah LGA’s Return and Earns

Return and Earn celebrated eight years of rewarding NSW communities for recycling and making a positive impact earlier this week.

An astounding 14.7 billion drink containers have been returned for the 10c refund since Return and Earn began on 1 December 2017.

Gunnedah has two Return and Earn machines, at the Woolworths and Coles carparks.

The scheme is supported by 93 per cent of NSW adults and has a participation rate of 83 per cent.

In eight years, more than $1.4 billion in container refunds have gone back into people’s pockets.

Return and Earn’s birthday coincides with the scheme releasing the latest Local Government Area Network Volume Report, which shows the total volume of containers redeemed by the community through return points by local government area since the scheme launched.

Gunnedah’s LGA has totalled 42,444,771 cumulative items collected at the Return and Earn points since December 2017, amounting to 2,848.4 tonnes.

James Dorney, CEO of network operator TOMRA Cleanaway, said the network had grown to over 660 return points.

“NSW recyclers love Return and Earn and the variety of ways to return their containers, including depots for large volumes of containers,

hundreds of machines or over-the-counter options.

“As we celebrate this birthday, we’re moving into the busiest time of year for Return and Earn, with up to nine million containers expected to be returned daily.

“Recyclers can check the status of their local return point on the Return and Earn app or website before heading out. People wanting to return large quantities quickly should try a Return and Earn depot.”

Danielle Smalley, CEO of scheme coordinator, Exchange for Change, said she believes Return and Earn is the best product stewardship scheme in the country.

“Return and Earn’s birthday is a great opportunity to look at the impact the scheme has made over the last eight years,” she said.

“Its convenience means recycling eligible drink containers is now part of everyday routines such as shopping, the school drop-off or driving home from work.

“Return and Earn is also supporting important causes, with over $82 million raised for charities and community groups through donations and return point hosting fees since December 2017.”

Return and Earn is delivered in partnership between the NSW Government, scheme coordinator Exchange for Change and network operator TOMRA Cleanaway.