Ballina is now home to a new Return and Earn depot designed to make recycling large numbers of eligible bottles, cans and cartons easier than ever before. The Ballina Return and Earn Depot – the 3rd return point and first depot in the Ballina Shire Council area – was officially opened with a celebration attended by representatives from council and local community groups and charities, including Ronald McDonald House and Lennox Head Public School. The staffed depot can process up to 100 containers a minute, making it ideal for returning 500 or more containers at a time without the need to pre-sort containers. The depot offers a ‘tag and drop’ service for people short on time to leave their bagged containers for staff to process for the 10c refund, while the latest ‘tip and go’ technology makes it easier for recyclers with large volumes of containers.
“Ballina Shire Council residents are enthusiastic recyclers, having returned almost 68 million eligible bottles, cans and cartons through local return points since the scheme began in 2017.” James Dorney, CEO, network operator TOMRA Cleanaway commented “The new depot’s ability to accept large loads of containers makes recycling convenient and accessible for keen users of the scheme, such as hospitality venues, cafes, sporting clubs, community groups and charities.”
“Return and Earn not only helps to achieve a cleaner and sustainable environment, it also delivers significant social benefits to the community as a key fundraising channel for so many charities and community groups in NSW. Danielle Smalley, CEO, scheme coordinator Exchange for Change commented “More than $1.5 billion in container refunds has also gone back into people’s pockets since the scheme began, helping with the cost of living, saving for a special goal or supporting some amazing causes.”
Recyclers can print a voucher for the refund amount, which can be redeemed at Woolworths for a discount on their shopping or for cash, or opt for an e-voucher or payment directly into their bank or PayPal account using the Return and Earn app. Locals can also donate their refund to one of over 500 donation partners listed on the Return and Earn app, including Lennox Head Public School, which is fundraising to support the school. Alternatively, recyclers can donate to the current statewide donation partner, The Smith Family, who help provide children and young people experiencing disadvantage with an equal chance to learn and create better futures through the power of education. The Ballina Return and Earn Depot is located at 20-22 De Havilland Crescent, Ballina. The depot is open daily between 7.00 am to 6.00 pm. For more information on Return and Earn visit: www.returnandearn.org.au.