Tamworth has returned 50 million bottles and cans to the Return and Earn depot at Taminda, putting $5 million in refunds back into the community and funding help for locals doing it tough.
The depot, run by the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW, opened in 2023. Since then, it has kept millions of containers out of landfill while channelling funding into the charity’s programs for people facing hardship.
“Reaching 50 million containers is an extraordinary achievement, and it belongs entirely to this community,” said St Vincent de Paul Society NSW Executive Director of Commercial Enterprise, Retail and Fundraising Phil Coyte.
As a return point operator, the charity receives a handling fee for every container processed at the depot. That money goes straight back into its local support programs and services.
In the past year alone, the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW supported more than 4,000 people in Tamworth and surrounding areas, handing out more than $590,000 in material and financial help for essentials such as food, clothing, and housing.
Of those who sought help, three in four needed food assistance, 55 per cent were experiencing housing stress, and 27 per cent were reaching out to the charity for the very first time.
Recycling 50 million drink containers instead of making new ones has also delivered:
- Energy savings equal to powering 682 households for a year
- Water savings equal to 117 Olympic swimming pools
- Carbon emissions avoided equal to taking 3,633 cars off the road for a year
“50 million containers returned is a remarkable achievement for the community,” said TOMRA Cleanaway CEO James Dorney, whose company is the network operator for Return and Earn.
“It’s great to see this level of recycling in action, and we are proud of our partnership with the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW and the impact it continues to deliver for both the community and the environment.”
Depot details:
- Where: 4 Macintosh Street, Taminda
- Hours: Monday to Saturday, 8.30am to 3.30pm, and Sunday, 9am to 4pm
“Every single container returned to our Tamworth Return and Earn Depot is more than a recycling act,” Coyte said.
“It’s a direct investment in a neighbour in need.”
“The funding generated through Return and Earn helps us provide food, financial assistance, and essential support to hundreds of people across Tamworth and surrounding areas who are doing it tough.”
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