Byron residents can now trade their eligible drink containers for cash following the installation of a ‘Return and Earn’ container-deposit machine.
The reverse-vending machine has been installed at the Cavanbah Centre in Byron Bay and went online last week.
It allows people to claim 10 cent refunds for eligible drink containers.
Nationals parliamentary secretary for northern NSW Ben Franklin said people could donate their refund directly to charities, receive a docket redeemable for cash or an electronic transfer using PayPal at the machines.
‘Return and Earn is the largest litter-reduction initiative to be introduced in NSW, and now there are more collection points for people to be involved,’ Mr Franklin said.
NSW environment minister Gabrielle Upton said the Byron Bay collection point was one of more than 425 operational sites across the state, with more to be rolled out in the weeks to come.
‘There has been widespread community support for Return and Earn, with more than 115 million containers returned across the state since December 1,’ Ms Upton said.
Eligibility
Most drink containers between 150ml and three litres are eligible for the 10c refund.
Containers should be intact (not crushed or broken) and have a readable barcode to be eligible.
And when the drink companies divulge the huge number of containers returned they unintentionally tell the public what public already knows.
The only reason that 115 million containers are returned is because the public thinks the cost of the drink is far too expensive so the public are trying to reduce the cost by 10 cents per container.
Tried the return caper once, after waiting in line for 20 minutes, decided they can all go in the recycle bin from now on to subsidise our rates, ha-ha!