Return and Earn to raise $1 million for COVID affected Australians

On 24th August, NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean launched the new Return and Earn recycling appeal, Bottles Can Change Lives, which aims to raise $1 million to support Australians impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Kean said the joint initiative with TOMRA will provide much needed funds for three of Australia’s most respected charities: Oz Harvest, The Salvation Army and Beyond Blue.

“Three-quarters of NSW residents are already returning and earning. If everyone donates just one container out of every 20, we will well and truly exceed this target,” Mr Kean said. “Millions of Australians are doing it really tough right now, both financially and emotionally, and the services of these important organisations are in greater demand than ever.”

NSW recyclers can choose to donate their eligible bottles and cans at any participating Return and Earn return point with each container donated raising 10c for the appeal.

Return and Earn has raised more than $10.4 million in revenue and donations for charities and community groups since launching in December 2017, including over $500,000 for Rural Aid in support of families impacted by bushfires and drought through last summer’s major appeal Bottles for the Bush.

The Bottles Can Change Lives appeal will run from 24 August 2020 to 21 February 2021.

Return and Earn has just passed 4 billion containers returned. It has been an outstanding success and fundamentally changed people’s thinking and behaviour towards litter.

Return and Earn is a partnership between the NSW Government, scheme coordinator Exchange for Change and network operator TOMRA Cleanaway. Launched in December 2017 it has become the state’s largest litter initiative.

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