Recycling has often been a challenge for communities across Western New South Wales.

With long distances and limited services, it has been difficult for regional towns to match the recycling rates of their city counterparts.

In recent years, the Return and Earn deposit scheme has helped make things simpler.

Western Plains App previously reported on the success of the scheme in Warrumbungle Shire, where, in 2024, the shire reached a milestone few regional communities could boast - 10 million bottles, cans, and cartons returned.

At ten cents per container, that represents $1 million returned directly to the Warrumbungle community.

Then Warrumbungle Shire Mayor, Ambrose Doolan said the council was very pleased with the community's recycling participation.

“We appreciate the community’s cooperation when depositing containers at Council sites,” Cr Doolan said.

So successful were the efforts of residents, the shire ranked equal second in New South Wales for the number of returned containers.

With the recycling program about to become even bigger, the sky is the limit for this tidy shire!

But Warrumbungle Shire is not alone, across the country, container deposit programs are proving to be the most successful recycling initiatives in Australia’s history, with billions of containers collected each year.

With recent changes, the program is set to become even bigger.

Return and Earn is set to expand, making it even easier for kids to trade their can and bottle collection in for pocket money.

New South Wales and South Australia will expand their container deposit schemes by late 2027 to include wine and spirit bottles, cordial and juice concentrate containers, and larger drink containers of up to three litres like flavoured milk, fruit and vegetable juice.

The expansion is expected to see nearly half a billion additional beverage containers returned each year, keeping them out of landfill.

NSW Minister for Environment Penny Sharpe said the change would have significant environmental and community benefits, but the public would have to be patient.

“The Container Deposit Scheme is fantastic for the environment, great for our recycling industry and also puts money back in people’s pockets."

It’s also incredibly popular with more items collected every year,” she said.

“By expanding to include more types of beverages, it’s estimated at least 27,000 tonnes of materials will be saved from landfill each year in NSW.

"It’s really important that people don’t try to take their wine bottles to a Return and Earn machine tomorrow.

"We’re working with industry to ensure a smooth transition and to ensure return systems will be ready to handle the new containers by mid-2027.”

For the Western Plains, the expansion means even more opportunities for communities to benefit.

Whether it’s residents in Warren bringing in a few bags of bottles, a family in Cobar saving their cans for pocket money, or community groups fundraising through collections, the program has shown that recycling can be simple, rewarding, and effective.

With more containers soon to be added to the scheme, the Western Plains looks set to build on its recycling achievements - one bottle at a time!

And while the wine bottles will have to wait for collection until next year, other containers are still part of the Return and Earn scheme.

You can find your local return point here.