Upper Hunter residents have a new location to recycle their eligible bottles and cans with the opening of a new Return and Earn machine in the car park of the historic Campbells Corner building in Scone.
The new return point replaces a machine that was removed earlier this year due to redevelopment, providing a convenient location for the community to redeem their eligible bottles and cans for the 10c refund.
“Upper Hunter Council residents are enthusiastic recyclers, having returned over 23 million eligible bottles, cans and cartons through local return points since the scheme began. This equates to more than $2.3 million in container refunds returned to the local community,” said James Dorney, CEO of TOMRA Cleanaway, the network operator for the scheme.
Recyclers can print a voucher for the refund amount, which can be redeemed for cash at Coles, or they can opt for an e-voucher or payment directly into their bank or PayPal account using the Return and Earn app.
Locals can also choose to donate their refund to one of the charity partners listed on the machine or one of the many charities listed on the Return and Earn app.
Hunter Wildlife Rescue is currently featured as the local donation partner on the Scone machine, with funds raised through Return and Earn supporting volunteers who work tirelessly to rescue, rehabilitate and release injured, sick, orphaned, and distressed native animals back into the wild.
Local recyclers can also donate their refund to the current state-wide Return and Earn donation appeal in support of the RFS Benevolent Fund, a charity created to provide support to RFS members and their families during challenging times.
Return and Earn has become a key fundraising channel for many charities and community groups across NSW. More than $47 million has been raised from donations and fees from hosting return points since the scheme launched in 2017.
More than 10.7 billion bottles, cans and cartons have been returned for recycling through the network of almost 620 return points across NSW since the scheme began in 2017, resulting in over $1.07 billion in refunds back in people’s pockets.
“I encourage everyone to make ‘returning and earning’ part of your weekly routine if you haven’t already and together, we can all do our bit to contribute to a more sustainable future where materials are kept in the loop and out of landfill and the litter stream,” Mr Dorney said.
The Scone Return and Earn machine is located at the car park of Campbells Corner at 167 Kelly Street, Scone and is open daily from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.
For more information on Return and Earn visit: www.returnandearn.org.au.
Contact details:
Evonne McCabe 0438 459 524
