Since Bathurst’s three new Return and Earn reverse vending machines (RVM) were switched on a week ago, 125,726 items have been returned.

This is in addition to the 298,293 items that were returned to the now closed machine that was at Metro Petroleum in South Bathurst.

The new RVMs are spread out across the city, with the one at the Bathurst Community Op Shop in Kelso by far the most used, with 65,431 items returned in just seven days.

In the same time period, 41,345 have been returned to the RVM at Service NSW, with another 18,950 to the machine at Bathurst Recycling in Upfold Street at Gormans Hill.

The NSW Government recycling initiative to reduce waste offers people a 10 cent refund for each approved item they return.

Mr Bornen said he uses the recycling initiative to help educate his four-year-old granddaughter.

“We just collect it in a bag at home and bring it in,” he said. “I do it for my granddaughter and she uses it for spending money and also she likes recycling.”

Mr Bornen said there was no excuse for not getting behind the NSW Government’s recycling initiative.

“It’s a good thing, but it’s got a lot of negative press,” he said.

Mr Bornen said using the RVMs was very easy and the refunds received could help your children or donated to a charity.

“Give it to your kids or donate it to someone,” he said.

“You can help yourself or your kids or give it to someone else.”

So far, Mr Bornen has only used the RVM at Kelso and he commended Bathurst Community Op Shop’s staff and volunteers for helping to keep the site clean and ensure any rubbish left behind was managed.

“Bobby [Bourke] is really behind it and I think he’s a persistent force as far as I can see,” he said.

The majority of containers covered under this scheme are beverage containers ranging from 150 millilitres to three litres. Containers can be made from: aluminium, glass, HDPE, liquid paperboard, PET or steel.

The Container Deposit Scheme rewards consumers for returning containers, cans and bottles to designated recycling points with a 10 cent refund per eligible container. The refund can be:

Collected containers will be processed through a counting and sorting centre in Western Sydney.

They will then be recycled and sold into both domestic and export markets. Recovering these resources will create a closed loop, making a sustainable future possible.

The majority of containers covered under this scheme are beverage containers ranging from 150 millilitres to three litres. Containers can be made from:

Containers that are not included in the Scheme and, therefore, do not qualify for a refund are:

These exceptions are like those in the South Australian and Northern Territory container deposit schemes, to aid consistency.