As NSW celebrates the major new Return and Earn milestone of 11 billion containers recycled, Blue Mountains locals have millions of reasons to join in the celebrations, having recycled an incredible 41, 585,275 bottles, cans and cartons through their local return points. 

Thanks to the incredible support of the Blue Mountains community, visiting the local return point has become a way of life, resulting in millions of dollars in container refunds back into people’s pockets. 

Charities and local community groups and schools are also benefitting from the scheme, with a massive $54 million raised statewide for charities and community groups via donated refunds and return point hosting fees. 

The refunds from container recycling are helping families and individuals with cost-of-living pressures and helping support the work of hundreds of charities and community groups that are using the scheme to fundraise. 

In the Blue Mountains, the collective recycling efforts are making a difference. The positive impact of recycling containers into new containers rather than using virgin materials is equivalent to: 

• Energy savings equal to the average annual use of 434 households 

• CO2 emissions avoided equal to taking 1,853 cars off the road for a year  

• Water savings that could fill 98 Olympic swimming pools 

With all plastic and glass drink containers collected through the network recycled in Australia, Return and Earn has become a leading contributor to our growing domestic circular economy. 

For more information about Return and Earn or to find your nearest return point visit www.returnandearn.org.au.   

Quotes attributable to Trish Doyle, Member for Blue Mountains: 

"Congratulations to the Blue Mountains community for making Return and Earn part of your regular routine. Your enthusiastic participation is playing an important role in growing our domestic circular economy and achieving a more sustainable future. 

“Recycling your eligible bottles, cartons and cans through Return and Earn is an easy way for all of us to help the environment and support the work of some amazing local charities.” 

Quote attributable to Minister for Climate Change and the Environment Penny Sharpe: 

“In six short years, Return and Earn has become a shining example of what’s possible when we all work together to recycle our valuable container resources to make NSW a better place. 

“Return and Earn delivers so many environmental, social and economic benefits, from putting money back into people’s pockets, to supporting the vital work of charities, and providing a clean and reliable stream of recycled materials for manufacturing.”