Recycling milestone hit as Maitland returns 121 million bottles and cans

That means $12.1 million in container refunds has gone back into the community's pockets, through refunds, vouchers and donations to local organisations.

Since February 2018, Maitland residents have been taking their empty drink containers to Return and Earn points across the city to help the environment - and in a cost of living crisis the 10 cents per container refund doesn't go astray.

Turning 121 million recycled containers into new containers, rather than using new materials, has saved 711 million litres of water, which is enough water to fill 284 Olympic swimming pools.

It has also saved 159,236 gigajoules of energy, which is enough to power a household for 1274 years, and has saved 7.26 million kilograms of waste from landfill, enough to fill 764 garbage trucks.

The recycled containers have also saved 14.593 million kilograms of carbon emissions from going into the atmosphere, which is equivalent to keeping 5401 cars off the road for a year.

Maitland has four collection machines at Coles Rutherford, Woolworths Aberglasslyn, Home Co Rutherford and BP Thornton.

In March 2023, The Mercury reported Maitland City Council had been working with Return and Earn operator TOMRA Cleanway to find a site for a new machine.

Council is continuing to work with TOMRA to explore the viability of potential sites around Maitland, but its role in the process does not extend beyond advising private land owners of potential interest.

Return and Earn network operator TOMRA Cleanway's chief executive officer James Dorney said the environmental, social and economic benefits of the scheme are significant and tangible.

"From providing money back in people's pockets, to supporting the vital work of charities, and providing a clean and reliable stream of recycled materials for manufacturing - it has made NSW a better place," he said.

Return and Earn is celebrating 11 billion containers being returned state-wide since the scheme was launched in December 2017.

This has meant $1.1 billion in container refunds and $54 million raised for charities and community groups through donated refunds and return point hosting fees.

According to Return and Earn, NSW has seen a 54 per cent reduction in drink container litter since pre-scheme levels, and eight in 10 NSW adults have participated in the scheme.

Return and Earn is delivered in partnership between the NSW Government, scheme coordinator Exchange for Change and network operator TOMRA Cleanaway, and is funded by the beverage industry.