Collect, fundraise or donate. Return and Earn makes it convenient and easy for you to support the charities or causes you care about – all while keeping the environment clean and recycling bottles and cans.

There are hundreds of official donation partners you can support by donating your container refund.

Read on to find out how to donate and learn more about our wonderful donation partners.

How to donate through Return and Earn

RETURN AND EARN APP

You can select to donate your 10c refund to any charity, school, sports club or local community group featured on the app from any machines or automated depot (using Tag and Drop) in NSW. Simply:

  1. Open your Return and Earn app AND search for your favourite charity under the “CHARITIES” menu
  2. Press on its tile, scroll down and select ‘Set as payout’
  3. Scan your app at your local Return and Earn machine or automated depot (using Tag and Drop)
  4. Return your containers and press “TRANSFER” on the machine screen or follow the steps on the Tag and Drop screen at an automated depot. 

100% of the refund will be donated to the donation partner that you selected to receive your payout.

Download the app

RETURN AND EARN MACHINES

A minimum of two donation partners are featured on each screen of your local Return and Earn machines. To donate your 10c refund, simply:

  1. Return your drink containers
  2. Press “DONATE” on the touchscreen
  3. Select your preferred donation partner and press “CONFIRM” to validate your donation.

Their account will be credited with the full amount

RETURN AND EARN MACHINES

You can donate to the charities featured on the screen at any machine by:

  1. Return your containers
  2. Select your preferred donation partner on the touchscreen.
  3. Click ‘Donate’.

Their account will be automatically credited with the full amount.

Find your nearest machine

AUTOMATED DEPOTS

Enquire with your nearest automated depot to check which charities they support.

You can also donate through the app if you use Tag and Drop. 

AUTOMATED DEPOTS

Enquire with your nearest automated depot to check which charities they support.

Find your nearest depot

Our current donation partners

Youth Off The Streets Partners with Return and Earn

Youth Off The Streets has joined forces with Return and Earn to raise money for vulnerable Aussie youth. Each eligible bottle or can recycled through Return and Earn from April to October will raise 10 cents to help Youth Off The Streets transform the lives of homeless and vulnerable young people in our community. The campaign aims to raise $100,000 in six months.

Last year 39,300 young people aged 12–24 sought homelessness services. This campaign will see support given to youth across NSW and will directly help young people who are faced with homelessness after escaping from abuse or neglect at home.

You can help vulnerable youth when you recycle with Return and Earn. Here’s how:

– Start by collecting eligible containers to return and earn.

– Visit your nearest Return and Earn machine.

– Press “DONATE” directly on the screen, select ‘Youth Off The Streets’ then ‘CONFIRM’ and 100% of the donated refunds will go directly to the charity.

– You can also donate via the Return and Earn app, simply download it and set Youth Off The Streets as your active payout method.

– Get collecting today and help keep homeless and vulnerable young people off the streets.

Read more

Check out some of our most active donation partners

Here’s just a snapshot of the types of causes you can support and fundraising campaigns you can donate to.

So open your Return and Earn app today and select to donate to your preferred cause or to the charity, school, sports club or local community group you have a connection with.

Great Lakes Women’s Shelter

A Safe and Nurturing Environment for Children

Great Lakes Women’s Shelter provides support and refuge for women and children experiencing Domestic Violence and/or Homelessness or at risk of Homelessness. Funds raised this year will we put towards providing special activities for children staying at the Shelter during school holiday.

German Shepherd Rescue NSW

Help Save German Shepherds

Our organisation is raising funds to save the lives of German Shepherd Dogs that find themselves in animal shelters and pounds. We will use the funds to provide vet care, training and accommodation while the dog waits for their new home.

Normanhurst Public School P&C

Normanhurst PS Green Team Fundraiser

HELP the Normanhurst PS Green Team raise funds to establish a compost and worm farm program, which will in turn help green up our grounds through nourishing our garden beds.

ORRCA

Rescuing Australia’s Marine Mammals

Our organisation runs on donations to fund the rescue equipment needed to save marine mammals in distress. Incidents range from beaching to entanglements and more. All donations will go towards funding our rescues and rescue gear throughout NSW and Australia. Thank you for helping make a difference today.

PanKind The Australian Pancreatic Cancer Foundation

Help Triple Pancreatic Cancer Survival by 2030

Every 10c refund supports PanKind’s Mission to Triple Survival by 2030. PanKind invests in world’s best medical research into early detection and new treatments. We support people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer with online resources and the ManyHands App. We raise awareness through community campaigns such as Put Your Foot Down, Play in Purple and Remember September.

ReForest Now

Plant Trees to Restore Australian Rainforest

ReForest Now is raising funds to grow and plant more trees in order to restore critically endangered rainforest in Australia.

Find and select your donation partner

Donation partners on the Return and Earn app

An unlimited number of charities, schools, sports club and community groups can be featured on the Return and Earn app. To view the full list and how much your preferred organisation has raised so far, simply open your Return and Earn app, press “Charities” and search for your preferred donation partner. 

Download app

Donation partners on screens at Return and Earn machines

Click “View PDF” below to check which local charity, sports club, school or community groups are featured on the screens of your local Return and Earn machine.

Tip! Search by LGA or look up a specific organisation with ‘Ctrl+F’ and type in the charity’s name

View PDF

Can’t find your charity?

If your favourite charity, school, sports club or community group isn’t listed as a donation partner, why not let them know they could be raising funds with the Return and Earn scheme?

Interested in fundraising?

Click below to find out how your charity, school, P&C, sports club or community group can start fundraising with Return and Earn.

Fundraise with us

Previous donation partners

Major appeals and charity campaigns (2019 – 2023)

Protect our planet

Protect Our Planet

Environmentally-minded community members in NSW have given a major boost to two Australian charities working to protect our planet, just by recycling their bottles and cans through Return and Earn.

The six-month Protect Our Planet appeal surpassed its goal of $150,000, raising nearly $8,000 over the target by the end of April. Funds raised will support the Australian Marine Conservation Society’s work protecting oceans and coastal ecosystems, including sea-life such as turtles, whales and sea lions. Funding received by Bush Heritage will support its goal to safeguard Australia’s land and native species, such as the endangered Greater Bilby and Carnaby’s Cockatoo.

Read more

Animal Welfare League NSW

$94,000 donated

Containers for Kids

$122,540 donated

Bottles for the Bush

$423,519 donated

Cans for Koalas

$144,515 donated

Bottles CAN Change Lives

$244,383 donated

Donation success stories

Animal welfare
NSW recyclers donate nearly one million drink containers to support animal welfare
Read More
Asylum Seeker Centre
Return and Earn raises funds and awareness for the Asylum Seekers Centre
Read More
Starlight presentation
Container recycling nets $122,540 for Starlight Children’s Foundation
Read More
Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter
Community rallies to support women’s shelter with container refunds
Read More
More stories

Donations FAQs

  • Where can I donate?

    You can donate the 10 cent refund for each eligible container returned at any Return and Earn machine and at select automated depots in NSW. Find your closest return point on the map.

  • How do I donate?

    There are several ways to donate your drink container refunds. You can donate to the charities featured on the screen at the Return and Earn machines, select your preferred charity or cause on the Return and Earn app, or visit your nearest automated depot to check which charities they support.

    To donate on the screens at machines, simply return your containers and when you’re done, select your preferred charity on the screen and click ‘donate’.

    To donate on the Return and Earn app, you will need to set a donation partner as your payout method. Login to the app and click ‘Charities’. Use the search tool to find your preferred charity campaign and click on its tile. A new page detailing the campaign will appear. Scroll to the bottom of this page and click on the button ‘Set as payout’. Your chosen donation partner will be set as your payout method and next time you return your containers at a machine using the app, your refund will be sent to that partner.

  • What is a donation partner?

    A donation partner is a not-for-profit organisation that has been approved to be featured either on the touch screen or on the app to receive donations from the Return and Earn community.

    Types of organisations that are listed as donation partners include charities, schools, sporting clubs, community and special interest clubs and groups. Political causes or organisations are not permitted to become donation partners.

  • Do I have to use a machine to donate?

    You need to return your containers at a Return and Earn machine in order to donate either on the touchscreen or through the app.

    Some automated depots also support charities and allow you to donate your refunds directly. Enquire with your nearest automated depot to check which charities they support.

    Find your nearest automated depot and their contact details on the map.

  • Do I need to use the Return and Earn app to donate?

    No but the app features many donation partners and causes you can choose from.

    You can also donate your refunds to any donation partner featured on the touchscreen of your closest Return and Earn machine.

    Simply return your containers and when you’re done, select your preferred charity on the screen and click ‘donate’. Or visit your nearest automated depot to check which charities they support.

  • I want to donate to a charity or cause who are not listed as a donation partner. What do I do?

    You can get in touch with the charity, not-for-profit organisation, school, sports club or community group that you’d like to donate to and suggest they sign up! For more information, visit TOMRA’s website here.

  • How much money goes to my chosen donation partner?

    100% of the donated refund goes to your chosen donation partner.

  • How do I change my default payout method on the app?

    In the middle of the home screen, you will see “Your active payout” which will either state “PayPal”, “Digital Voucher” or a campaign name. By clicking on this white box, you will open up a list of all payout methods available. Here you can select your default payout for all future payments until this is changed.

  • Can I get a tax receipt for my donation?

    Only if the charity you donate to has obtained the Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status with the Australian Tax Office.

    If you donate through the Return and Earn app, the user can download a receipt of all the donations made to a charity with DGR status from within the app. Open the app and click on ‘Refunds’. On the next page, press the ‘Export’ icon in the top right-hand corner. Select the date range and a report and/or tax receipt (if applicable) will be sent to the nominated email address, showing donations made to a charity that has obtained DGR status.

    If you donate to a charity that has the DGR status at a Return and Earn machine, it will print a receipt for all donations made over $2.00.

  • Can I keep track of my donations?

    You can keep track of the donations you have made on the Return and Earn app.

    To access your records, open the app and click on ‘Charities’. Go to the ‘My Donations’ tab on the left-hand side to view a summary of all donations made through the app.

    Scroll down to see each individual campaign you’ve donated to and how much you’ve contributed to each one of them.

    To view your whole recycling history using the app, click ‘Refunds’ on your homepage and you will be able to view all of your donations and other types of refunds that  you received via the app.

  • How do I become a donation partner?

    If you are interested in learning more about fundraising through Return and Earn, check out this page.

    If you want to apply to become a donation partner on the machines or the app, visit https://mytomra.com.au/charity/nsw