NSW Return and Earn scheme: Granville tops state with 9.8m returns over past year

Residents have returned a whopping 9.8 million cans and bottles at the Granville collection point since the government’s Return and Earn scheme kicked off a year ago.

Granville’s Return and Earn recycling drop-off is the state's busiest collection point.

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Granville has claimed the title of the state’s cash-for-cans kings after hitting the recycling jackpot this year.

Residents have returned a whopping 9.8 million cans and bottles at the Blaxcell St collection point since the government’s Return and Earn scheme kicked off a year ago.

“There are 20 Return and Earn collection points across the state that have collected more than six million drink containers, with the record going to Granville,” Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton said.

Casula was second with 8.8m, slightly ahead of Marrickville (8.7m) in the potentially lucrative scheme, where you get 10 cents back for every eligible can or bottle recycled at one of the 800 reverse vending machines around the state.

Return and Earn collected a billion drink containers over the past year, leading to a record reduction in litter volume across NSW.

Minister for Environment Gabrielle Upton. picture: AAP Image/Ben Rushton

“More than half the drink containers in the marketplace (54 per cent) are now being recovered, compared with the 32 per cent that was being collected in yellow bins before Return and Earn kicked in,” Ms Upton said.

“When combined with the 710 million drink containers collected in yellow bins between December 2017 and September 2018, we now know there has been a massive 69 per cent increase in the number of drink containers recovered compared with yellow bin collections over a similar period last year.”

A Parramatta resident makes $16.70 after dropping some empty drink bottles at the Granville collection station.

A Parramatta resident, who made $14.70 in recycling glass bottles on Monday, said there were “always” long queues at the Granville Return and Earn location.

“It’s important that we recycle for the environment, and we get some money back in return for it; it’s a win-win,” said “Gerry”, before heading to Woolies to cash in his windfall.

Stack of crushed colorful plastic bottles background waiting for recycling.

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“Some of my friends give me the bottles to take here. Even though the queues are always long, it’s a very accessible spot to drop off the empty bottles.”

Despite the big response to the scheme, the government refused to reveal how much it has cost over the past year, and how much money had been returned to residents.

In August, it was reported the scheme had cost an estimated $268.4 million since it began but only $54 million had been returned to NSW residents.