We are incredibly proud to celebrate a phenomenal milestone achieved by our partner, the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW (Vinnies), at their Return and Earn Depot in Dubbo. The Dubbo facility has processed a massive 100 million containers, resulting in an incredible $10 million in refunds being put directly back into the hands of the local community.
Celebrating with the community
Earlier this week, TOMRA Cleanaway GM Michelle Mandl and NSW Network Development Manager Carolyn Adam, celebrated the milestone alongside local representatives Stephen Lawrence MLC and Dugald Saunders MP, as well as Peter Gibbs, CEO of REDI.e. In a celebration underscoring the broad-based commitment to the success of Return and Earn in the region.
As the Network Operator for Return and Earn, TOMRA Cleanaway is immensely proud to partner with Vinnies across NSW. This significant achievement for the Dubbo Return and Earn Depot is a shining example of the positive impact that our network makes across the state.
TOMRA Cleanaway and Vinnies – a partnership based on impact
Our partnership includes Vinnies includes 10 Return and Earn depots, which are a crucial and convenient part of the scheme for recyclers across New South Wales. The depots provide customers with a convenient place to recycle large numbers of eligible drink containers.
Community Impact at the Core
The success of the Dubbo Return and Earn Depot is about more than just recycling; it’s about strengthening the local community. The sheer volume of containers returned highlights the incredible community support for the scheme and its positive outcomes.
As a return point operator, the handling fee Vinnies receives for every container processed is reinvested into their vital local programs and services. The impact Vinnies has seen, particularly in the Dubbo region, is truly life-changing. Over the past year alone, Vinnies members have supported more than 1,500 people in the region, providing over $175,000 in financial and material aid, with food insecurity and housing stress being among the most common challenges.
Reflecting on the importance the Dubbo Return and Earn Depot has in the community, Michelle Mandl commented:
“We know that this depot has returned $10 million back to the community locally. Our partnership with Vinnies is expansive with 10 locations across NSW with similar outcomes being achieved.”
A Win for the Environment and Local Residents
The environmental benefits of recycling 100 million containers are staggering, equivalent to:
- Enough energy savings to power 1,365 households for a year.
- Water saved to fill 234 Olympic swimming pools.
- Carbon emissions avoided equivalent to taking 7,267 cars off the road for a year.
“Reaching 100 million containers recycled at our Dubbo Return and Earn Depot is a fantastic milestone for the entire community. That’s $10 million put straight back into the hands of local residents. We’ve seen a strong increase in the number of containers processed at our depots, which shows more people are embracing the convenience and rewards of recycling, both for themselves and the environment.”
Each of the 10 Vinnies-operated depots makes this commitment easy, offering a convenient drive-through service that can process up to 100 containers a minute, without the need to sort plastics from glass.
The Dubbo success story underscores the powerful impact of the Return and Earn scheme—not just in reducing waste, but in strengthening communities and delivering meaningful social and environmental outcomes.
