St Vincient De Paul Society calling on residents to donate their recycable bottles and cans

Over the last five years since the Return and Earn Scheme depots opened around the city and nearby towns, Dubbo-Orana residents returned 117.9 million containers.

For every returned recyclable containers, 10 cents is paid at the depot and containers that get chucked out in the bins can be collected by St Vinnies volunteers, Mr Xuereb said.

"Our volunteers are out and about collecting bins three times a week so we can raise money in a different way and help out local people in need.

"Before throwing out cans into the garbage, think outside the box, you can throw your cans for charity instead of handing out money as another way of donating."

Mr Xuereb said St Vinnies' Dubbo has been operating its own Return and Earn depot at 25 Douglas Mawson Road, where four volunteers work each week collecting blue bins from 80 households, clubs, pubs and schools to help raise funds.

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The Return and Earn scheme across NSW donated at least $35 million to charities since 2017, from an estimated $800 million in refunds for eight billion containers returned to 620 return point depots run by Tomra Cleanaway.

The scheme has become a key part of St Vinnies' fundraising program as a return point partner and its been a great success, ST Vinnies NSW acting chief executive officer Yolanda Saiz said.

Dubbo's St Vinnies' return point depot is among seven depots the charity operates around NSW providing employment to 30 locals who processed around 95 million containers since opening.

"This helped raise critical funds for the society that helps us provide services to people experiencing poverty and disadvantage," Ms Saiz said.

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In Dubbo, Mr Xuereb said the local community has supported them since the depot has opened. "There's a very strong support from local families willing to share and understanding they are doing different ways to help out charities."

Keen to help out a good cause? Contact Dubbo St Vinnies on cds.admin@vinnies.org.au or call the volunteers on 0490 909 231.

More information about Return and Earn scheme is available at www.returnandearn.org.au.