The Warrumbungle Shire has just reached the 10 million mark for their Container Deposit Scheme (CDS), and while recycling has always been a sore spot for Western NSW communities, the Return and Earn scheme has allowed a sense of contribution. 

Return and Earn has managed to navigate its way past the logistical challenges that many local LGAs face in kerbside recycling, and instead can be found in each LGA in the Western Plains. 

For the Warrumbungle Shire - one of the few local LGAs that does have kerbside recycling - the figures speak for themselves. 

“Since the CDS Stations opened in Coonabarabran and Dunedoo in 2019 over 10 million containers have now been passed in at these collection depots,” Warrumbungle Shire Council Mayor Ambrose Doolan said. 

For every eligible bottle, can or carton brought to the return point, a 10 cent issue is refunded, meaning that $1 million has been returned to the Warrumbungles community. 

“Council is thrilled with community participation in this Scheme over the last five years and we appreciate the community’s cooperation when depositing containers at Council sites,” concluded Cr Doolan.

Despite having access to yellow recycling bins, Warrumbungle residents have cemented themselves as supporters of the Return and Earn scheme, ranking second in NSW for the number of returned containers in 2020. 

According to Return and Earn, 10 million returned containers equates to saving enough water to fill 24 Olympic swimming pools, 105 years of a household’s annual energy consumption, and enough waste to fill 63 garbage trucks.

In February this year, NSW reached 11 billion returned containers across the state since the scheme’s inception in 2017, with two of every three eligible containers being returned. 

Return and Earn has been lauded as a simple way to reach saving goals, slightly ease cost of living pressures, and give back to charities and community groups, with 20 returned containers equating to one litre of fuel for children's medical transport service Little Wings.

“In six short years, Return and Earn has become a shining example of what’s possible when we all work together to tackle a tricky problem.” Exchange for Change CEO Danielle Smalley said. 

“Thanks to support from the NSW community and the beverage and resource recovery industries, more than 11 billion bottles, cans and cartons have been diverted from landfill to become in-demand commodities in our growing circular economy.”

Since 2017, $1 billion on container refunds has been earned, including $37 million for charities and local community groups. 

You can find your local return point here.