50 new ‘Return and Earn’ bins placed across Port Stephens

PORT Stephens Council has launched a new initiative to support the recycling of reusable resources and the delivery of services to the community.

Fifty baskets have been placed in high-traffic areas across Port Stephens, including at Raymond Terrace, Medowie, Karuah, Lemon Tree Passage, Salt Ash, Corlette, Soldiers Point, Salamander Bay, Fingal Bay, Nelson Bay, and Anna Bay.

The community is encouraged to dispose of their recyclable drink containers in these baskets whenever possible, so that groups, charities and individuals can collect them and turn them in for 10 cents as part of the ‘Return and Earn’ campaign.

The program was launched after it was found that 72 percent of public waste bins contained significant amounts of bottles, cans and cartons eligible for recycling.

Many public bins have also suffered frequent damage due to people attempting to retrieve the containers inside them.

Council hopes the new baskets will ensure more recyclable material reaches its proper destination, and that those that can benefit from the Return and Earn program have easier access to cans and bottles.

“The baskets provide a real opportunity to recycle containers that might become litter or be discarded as general waste into valuable money to support local people,” a spokesperson for Port Stephens Council said.
“Individuals and families looking for relief from the rising cost of living can now safely and cleanly collect refunds to help with everyday expenses.”

The program is part of Council’s Waste Management Strategy 2021–2031 and its effectiveness will be assessed by a post-installation audit to determine if it should be expanded permanently.

Most containers showing the 10c refund mark on the labelled are eligible to be placed in the new baskets.

Further information on what’s recyclable can be accessed at https://returnandearn.org.au/what-you-can-return or by downloading the Return and Earn app and scanning the barcode.

By Nico LOMBARDO