“One thing that has really excited me is how community groups and charities have embraced it to help add value to the incredible work that they do in our communities,” says Smalley.

“We’re now seeing social benefits from the scheme as well as the environmental benefits.”

Since the scheme started in December 2017, it has returned more than $30 million dollars to charities and community groups via donations and the fees they receive when hosting a return point.

Communities across the state are reaping the Return and Earn rewards. In the case of the Hanwood Rural Fire Brigade in the Griffith region, the group realised that returning empty containers can reduce the time and resources for other fundraising activities, and use it, along with the refund returned, towards training the volunteers and making sure the team is ‘fire ground fit.’

“The Hanwood Fire Brigade raised almost $1500 that went straight back to the brigade. The scheme provides an easy way to help support local groups, as well as making sure the containers are getting recycled at the same time,” says Smalley.

Alex Bowen from Eschol Park in the Campbelltown region created the Bin Chicken in 2020, a local business focussed on reducing the amount of recyclable material in landfill, and winner of the 2022 Environmental Citizen of the Year award.

This local business collects containers from local residences, sporting clubs and day care centres each month and reinvests the funds raised through Return and Earn back into the community. Some goes to the sporting clubs and day care centres and the rest supports a free Community Pantry and Recycling Hub.

Smalley says that there are many great news stories like the Bin Chicken that highlight how the scheme is being used to bring communities together and provide much needed help to individuals and groups.

“We are privileged to be able to share these stories and hopefully encourage more people to return containers,” says Smalley

“If people aren’t interested in the refunds themselves, they may want to consider donating to one of the many charities and groups listed on the Return and Earn app or machines, who benefit from every container donated.”

The Return and Earn Impact Calculator was launched during National Recycling Week late last year. This tool lets Return and Earn participants see the water, energy, and landfill savings, as well as carbon emissions avoided from returning eligible containers for recycling.

“Simply enter the number of containers that you are returning or have returned into the Impact Calculator, and it will calculate the positive impact on the environment,” says Smalley.

“There is also a toggle bar that allows you to see what the impact would be if everyone in your local community returned the same number of containers as you, and then if everyone in NSW did the same,” Smalley says.

“We hope that by seeing the positive impact of their returns, people can see and trust that their individual actions are contributing to a circular economy and more sustainable future.”