Cessnock residents return more than 118 million containers through Return and Earn

A total of 118 million containers have been collected at six sites across the Cessnock LGA since the program was launched in late 2017, according to the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA).

Back in 2019, Cessnock was leading the way, and that trend continues.

By returning containers to the Return and Earn points, Cessnock residents have saved enough water to fill 277 Olympic sized swimming pools.

It has stopped enough waste going to landfill to pack 745 garbage trucks and avoided carbon emissions equivalent to 5,267 cars on the road for a year.

There are six Return and Earn sites in Cessnock compared with Maitland's four. 103 million containers have been recycled in the Maitland LGA since 2017.

Last year it was announced there are plans to expand the state's Return and Earn program to include wine and spirit bottles and large containers.

The wine industry opposed expansion into its sector, saying it will deliver little environmental benefit and could cost smaller, family-owned businesses tens of millions of dollars.

In March, NSW reached a milestone with nine billion bottles, cans and drink cartons returned via the network.

The Return and Earn scheme is coordinated by organisation Exchange for Change.

After reaching the milestone, its CEO Danielle Smalley said the community's tremendous support for the scheme is delivering huge benefits to the environment and the people of NSW.

"While today's milestone means thousands of tonnes of plastic, glass and aluminium has avoided ending up in litter or landfill, it also represents $900 million in container refunds back into the hands of the community," she said.

"These funds are helping offset people's weekly shopping costs, providing pocket money for kids and have become an important avenue for fundraising across the state, with more than $42 million raised for charities."