“Blacktown residents are already passionate recyclers, having returned more than 329 million containers since Return and Earn launched in December 2017,” said James Dorney, CEO of TOMRA Cleanaway, network operator of the scheme.

Blacktown City Council locals now have a new and convenient location to return their eligible bottles and cans to, with the opening of a new indoor Return and Earn Centre (RVC).

“The opening of the new Blacktown RVC,  located at 10 Third Avenue, Blacktown, provides the same recycling experience as our reverse vending machines, but with more capacity and in an in-door, airconditioned environment,” Mr Dorney added.

Consumers receive a 10c refund for each eligible bottle, can or carton they return or can choose to donate their refund to one of the onscreen charity partners available on the machine, including the current local donation partner ‘Blacktown Asylum Seeker Centre’.

TOMRA, Cleanaway and Return and Earn have also recently launched a new state-wide joint charity initiative to raise funds for one of Australia’s biggest children’s charities, the Starlight Children’s Foundation. Until the end of April 2022, users of the Return and Earn scheme can opt to donate their refund to the Starlight Foundation helping to provide vital in-hospital services including Captain Starlight and Starlight Express rooms across the state.

Mr Dorney said users of the Blacktown Recycling Centre have the option to print a retail cash voucher for the refund amount, redeemable at Woolworths, or alternatively they can opt for an e-voucher or direct payment into their bank account or PayPal account by downloading the MyTOMRA app before visiting.

“By using this return point, in combination with your household recycling collection, we can all do our bit to reduce the millions of containers that are littered in the NSW environment each year while also being rewarded for our efforts,” he said.

The new Blacktown Recycling Centre is located at 10 Third Avenue, Blacktown and will be open from Monday-Saturday, 7am-7pm (closed on Sundays).

The new return point is one of more than 620 return points available across NSW. More than 6.2 billion containers have been returned through Return and Earn for recycling since the scheme commenced just under four years ago.

For more information on partnership with TOMRA Cleanaway, contact.

For more information on the TOMRA Cleanaway network, please visit here.

This article was published in the Blacktown News on 9 November 2021.