Council gives okay to trialling Return and Earn baskets

Forbes Shire Council has given the go-ahead to a trial of Return and Earn baskets being attached to bins in Lions Park to help get more drink containers recycled through the program - without people rummaging through bins looking for them. The council will need to apply to be part of the Return and Earn Bin Basket Program, which involves attaching wire baskets to existing public litter bins to allow eligible drink containers to be placed separately from general waste. Containers placed in the baskets may then be collected by members of the community and redeemed through existing Return and Earn facilities, director infrastructure and works Danial Speer said in his report to councillors. Busy Lions Park has been chosen as the best place for a six-month local trial, giving the council a chance to assess whether it does discourage rummaging through bins for recyclable containers. Council staff have considered possible issues including general rubbish being dumped in the baskets, pest or bird issues, as well as liquids leaking onto paths, but feedback from pilot councils has been good, the report said. "Notwithstanding this advice, these matters remain relevant considerations and are best assessed through local observation," Mr Speer's report said. It's why the council chose Lions Park as a suitable trial location - the popular park is already regularly serviced by the council staff who can keep an eye on things and monitor the program's effectiveness. State-wide, Return and Earn has reached two major milestones with 16 billion bottles, cans and cartons returned by the community though local return points, resulting in $1.6 billion in refunds back to recyclers. More than $100 million has also been raised for charities and community groups through donations and return point hosting fees. Over the past year alone, NSW recyclers have shown strong support for Return and Earn’s major donation partners, raising $210,000 for the Children’s Medical Research Institute through the Jeans for Genes appeal and helping Guide Dogs NSW/ACT achieve $175,000 to help people with blindness and low vision. Children’s education charity, The Smith Family, is the current statewide donation partner the community can support through their container recycling. The charity is hoping to raise $200,000, with just 30 donated containers able to fund one book for a disadvantaged student.