NSW Environment Protection Authority has just released figures on how many containers have been deposited at the Return and Earn reverse vending machines on the Far South Coast.
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As of Thursday this week, the automated machine at Woolworths Narooma has seen 157,505 containers returned, while Woolworths Bermagui machine that has been functional a few extra weeks has seen 195,054 containers returned.
Up the coast, the Woolworths Moruya has had 301,724 containers returned and Woolworths Bega has had 195,236 containers returned.
The NSW community has returned more than 40 million containers under the Return and Earn container deposit scheme since collection points opened on December 1.
Reverse vending machines in Emerton and Casula are the most popular in the state, both recording more than one million returned containers, with Granville and Revesby on track to reach the one million mark by the weekend.
In addition, new automated depots are opening in key areas to manage large numbers of containers. These depots are specifically designed to receive and quickly process over 500 containers at a time.
Automated depots are now open at Blacktown Container Return, Cleanaway Eastern Creek, Envirobank Revesby, Channings Broken Hill, St Vincent De Paul South Nowra, Coffs Container Return, and Teeling Recyclers Casino.
NSW Environment Protection Authority acting chairman and CEO Mark Gifford said he expected more reverse vending machines to hit the one-million returns mark as new collection points opened.
“People across the state are really getting behind the scheme and, at the same time as claiming the 10c deposit, they are doing the right thing by the environment,” Mr Gifford said.
“Forty million is a significant milestone but we see it as a stepping stone; we expect the number of returns to continue to grow as more collection points open in the weeks to come.
“Already we are hearing about people seeing less litter in their local parks and sports fields, and we expect to see these environmental benefits increase as people do the right thing with their empty containers.”
More collection points are rolling out across the state each day, with individuals, sports clubs, community groups and charities all claiming the 10c return.
Information on these sites will be available at www.returnandearn.org.au