Tiny recycling champ leads the way

Jonathan English might only have just turned four, but the tiny champ from Fernhill is one of NSW’s most passionate Return and Earners.

His mum, Jessica Young, said Jonathan adores the ocean and understands that if whales, fish or turtles eat plastic they “get an upset tummy”.  She said he asks every day if they can go to the beach to pick up litter, and he loves using the Return and Earn reverse vending machines to deposit the containers he finds and receive his refund.

Jessica said when they return from the beach, Jonathan always carefully sorts the bottles and cans – and that his counting skills have really developed from doing this.

With support from friends, family and his community – including the postman – who bring him their eligible drink containers to recycle, Jonathon has earned more than $300. This means he has returned some 3,000 bottles and cans, reducing litter and diverting the containers from landfill.

His hard work won him the Return and Earn Litter Prevention Award for Individuals (in Category A – population up to 2,000) at the prestigious Keep Australia Beautiful NSW 2019 Tidy Towns Awards when he was only three years old.

Return and Earn is a partnership between the NSW Government, scheme coordinator Exchange for Change and network operator TOMRA Cleanaway.