“800 million containers isn’t just a number: it’s 800 million individual decisions by people across this state to do the right thing. So much of the refund value ends up staying local, and we are proud to have partnered with St Vincent de Paul Society NSW and the role Vinnies has played as one our depot partners since the beginning, turning that simple act of recycling drink containers, into lasting community support.”
James Dorney, CEO for network operator TOMRA Cleanaway.
Vinnies NSW Return and Earn Depots Celebrate 800 Million Container Milestone
St Vincent de Paul Society NSW has reached a landmark milestone with its network of 10 Return and Earn depots across metropolitan and regional NSW having collected, processed and refunded 800 million eligible drink containers, putting $80 million back into communities across the state.
Partners involved in delivery of Return and Earn in NSW celebrated the milestone today at St Vincent de Paul NSW’s Wollongong depot, one of the charity’s longest running Return and Earn sites.
The Society operates in partnership with Return and Earn network operator TOMRA Cleanaway and opened its first depots in South Nowra and Wollongong in early 2018, before progressively rolling out additional sites in Penrith, Cardiff, Maitland, Wagga Wagga, Dubbo, Griffith, Tweed Heads and Tamworth. Across its 10 locations, the Society NSW now provides employment for more than 80 people, supported by over 20 dedicated volunteers, helping participants generate meaningful income along the way.
For charities and community groups like St Vincent de Paul Society NSW, the scheme has become more than a recycling program, offering a vital and reliable source of income that directly supports its frontline work.
From recycling to relief: how every return supports Vinnies NSW services.
In the past year alone, the Society has provided more than $16 million in financial and material support assisting more than 100,000 people who have turned to St Vincent de Paul Society NSW members for help, with one in three of them for the first time, and three in four needing help to simply put food on the table.
“Reaching 800 million containers is an extraordinary milestone and demonstrates the power of a simple action repeated millions of times by communities across NSW. For the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW, Return and Earn is about more than recycling. Importantly, the scheme generates funding that supports people facing hardship in our communities,” said Yolanda Saiz, St Vincent de Paul Society NSW CEO.
“As demand for assistance continues to grow, the revenue generated through our depots helps us provide practical support including food, assistance with household bills and access to services. We are proud of what has been achieved alongside Return and Earn scheme partners over the past eight years, and thankful to the staff, volunteers and customers who have helped turn 800 million containers into meaningful support for people across the state,” said Ms Saiz.
James Dorney, CEO of TOMRA Cleanaway, said the 800 million milestone reflected what was possible when an environmental scheme is designed to also deliver social good.
“This milestone belongs to everyone who has taken a bag of bottles and cans to a return point, and who now build recycling into their everyday routine,” said Mr Dorney.
About the TOMRA Cleanaway and Vinnies Partnership
The partnership between TOMRA Cleanaway and St Vincent de Paul Society NSW has been a cornerstone of the Return and Earn network since the scheme’s early years. Beginning with the opening of depots in Wollongong and South Nowra in 2018, the partnership has expanded to 10 depot locations across metropolitan and regional NSW, creating jobs, supporting volunteers, and delivering significant social, environment and economic benefits to local communities.
Through this collaboration, Return and Earn has demonstrated how a circular economy initiative can generate positive outcomes beyond recycling by creating sustainable funding streams for charities and community organisations while making container recycling more accessible for communities across the state.
On the partnership, James Dorney commented “As Network Operator, TOMRA Cleanaway is incredibly proud of the role Return and Earn continues to play in connecting environmental action with community benefit. Our partnership with St Vincent de Paul Society NSW demonstrates how recycling infrastructure can create lasting social value, support job creation, community participation and vital charitable services while helping NSW recover more valuable resources for recycling.
“Together, we’ve created a model that not only keeps containers out of landfill and the environment, but also helps deliver meaningful support to thousands of people in need.”
