Shellharbour City Council has installed new Return and Earn bin baskets at local beaches, parks and community spaces to help reduce litter and increase recycling opportunities.
The program is delivered in partnership with the NSW Government and is designed to prevent recyclable drink containers from ending up in landfill bins.
The metal 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.
Eligible drink containers include most plastic, glass, aluminium and liquid paperboard containers between 150 millilitres and three litres.
The baskets are already in place at several high-traffic sites, including beaches, playgrounds and lakeside locations.
Mayor, Chris Homer said the program creates environmental and community benefits.
“Installing these bin baskets is a simple and effective way to increase recycling and keep our public places clean. They make it easy for people to do the right thing and they provide practical fundraising opportunities for community groups and individuals,” Mayor Homer said.
“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.”
Thirty baskets are being delivered across the city, with the first twenty five installed at confirmed busy locations. The remaining five will be installed based on community feedback.
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. Suggested locations must be places where a basket can be attached to an existing public waste bin, in line with program requirements.
