The Return and Earn basket at Shellharbour Surf Life Saving Club. Photo: Kellie O’Brien.
New Return and Earn bin baskets are popping up across Shellharbour’s beaches, parks and community spaces, giving drink containers a second life instead of sending them to landfill.
Already 25 baskets have been installed at high-traffic locations, with a remaining five baskets to be installed based on community feedback via an interactive map.
Made of metal, the baskets are attached to existing public waste bins and provide a place for people to leave empty eligible drink containers.
Community members can then collect the containers and take them to a Return and Earn point to redeem the 10-cent refund.
The Shellharbour City Council program is delivered in partnership with the NSW Government and is designed to stop recyclable drink containers from ending up in public landfill bins.
Shellharbour Mayor Chris Homer said the beaches, playgrounds and lakeside locations were chosen because they generated higher volumes of drink containers and were close to sensitive waterways where litter could easily travel into the environment.
“Installing these bin baskets is a simple and effective way to increase recycling and keep our public places clean,” Cr Homer said.
“They make it easy for people to do the right thing and they provide practical fundraising opportunities for community groups and individuals.
“When people place their empty drink containers in the baskets, it stops them from going to landfill and helps reduce litter in our parks, beaches and open spaces.
“It is a small action that adds up to a big difference.”
Designed for use by the community, council will not be emptying the baskets or collecting refunds.
Anyone can place a container in the basket and anyone can collect containers to redeem through Return and Earn stations.
Eligible drink containers include most plastic, glass, aluminium and liquid paperboard containers between 150 millilitres and three litres.
Council has launched a Let’s Chat page where residents can view the installed basket sites on an interactive map and drop a pin to suggest new locations for the final five baskets within Shellharbour.
Suggested locations must be places where a basket can be attached to an existing public waste bin, in line with program requirements.
Residents who take part in the online engagement will also have the chance to win one of five prize packs, with each pack including a Yeti mug, reusable tote bag, reusable cutlery set, branded stationery and a handball.
Return and Earn basket locations include Shellharbour Surf Life Saving Club, Stockland Shellharbour Shopping Centre, Stockland Retail Park, BP Albion Park Rail, Albion Park RSL and PCYC Lake Illawarra.
A full list of bin basket locations is available on council’s Let’s Chat page, where residents can also suggest new locations for the five remaining baskets and enter the prize draw.
Return and Earn stations for redeeming bottles can be found on the Return and Earn website’s map.
