Return and Earn these holidays with our newest litter reduction initiative

Return and Earn: Reverse vending machines are a big hit with the community.
NSW EPA

Under the Return and Earn scheme, most drink containers between 150ml and three litres can be returned for a 10 cent refund to hundreds of over the counter collection points, reverse vending machines and automated depots across the state. Find out which containers are eligible at www.returnandearn.org.au.

Wondering what you can do with your empty drink containers these holidays? Here are your options:

• Take your containers to your local collection point for a 10c refund per container
• Donate your containers to a local group collecting them for fundraising such as a registered charity, local school or community group
• Continue to use your kerbside recycling. This refund may go towards improving waste services in your local community.

There are 300 collection sites already installed, with many more continuing to roll out across NSW. To learn about the different types of collection points or find a site near you, visit the website at www.returnandearn.org.au.

This initiative is about reducing litter in NSW and will go a significant way towards the Premier’s Priority of reducing litter by 40% by 2020. In South Australia, where they are celebrating 40 years of their container deposit scheme, less than 3% litter is beverage containers, compared to NSW where it sits at 43% of total litter volume in 2015-16.

Share your recycling story by posting a photo with the hashtags #returnandearn and #doingmybit or by searching and liking NSW GOV CDS on Facebook and Twitter.