How We Supports Schools, Councils, & Events

Across Sydney, recycling is becoming a big movement. Schools, councils, and community events are all playing a role in creating cleaner, greener spaces for future generations. At City Return & Earn, we aim to continuously support this movement by being a convenient and community-minded recycling partner.

Through our fast, easy, and accessible recycling services, City Return & Earn helps schools raise funds, councils meet sustainability goals, and event organisers keep their venues clean and waste-free. Additionally, we also refund 10 cents for every eligible container, making it financially rewarding for all our recycling partners.

Let’s look at how we’ve been making an impact.

Supporting Schools with Easy Fundraising Recycling

Recycling is a great opportunity to teach students about sustainability and their role in creating a greener future. City Return & Earn makes it easy for schools across New South Wales to turn empty bottles and cans into valuable resources.

Here’s what we do for schools:

• Easy drop-off or collection options, so educators and administrators don’t need to worry about storage or transport.
• Hands-on learning opportunities, teaching students about recycling, waste reduction, and environmental stewardship.
• Reliable refund processing, ensuring schools receive their returns quickly and accurately.

Many Sydney schools have already partnered with City Return & Earn to build eco-friendly habits and fund programs that benefit their students. For example, we partnered with Mascot Primary School to implement an educational recycling program that included supplying the school with bins, collecting their recyclables, and organising a student visit to our Mascot depot.

Helping Local Councils Promote Responsible Recycling

Local councils are responsible for managing community waste and meeting NSW’s sustainability targets. City Return & Earn helps councils achieve these goals by providing convenient, reliable, and effective recycling solutions for public areas and council-managed facilities.

Here’s how we help councils meet their sustainability targets:

• Reduced landfill waste, as recyclable containers are collected and processed properly.
• Convenient bulk collection, which saves council staff time and resources.
• Community engagement, encouraging residents to participate in sustainable practices through accessible recycling programs.

By partnering with City Return & Earn, councils can create visible, positive outcomes and support community-wide environmental education, all while cost-effectively maintaining cleanliness. For example, we’ve partnered with Mardi Gras Sydney to divert 79% of waste away from landfill and recovered 1.76 tonnes of containers. Our team has also worked closely with the City of Parramatta for their Parramatta Lanes event and Parramatta NYE.

Making Event Recycling Easy and Efficient

Recycling at events can be challenging, especially when large crowds generate significant volumes of waste. Festivals, fairs, sporting events, and community gatherings also face high contamination rates, where recyclables get mixed with general waste. This can result in containers being rejected from the Return and Earn program and reduce the overall effectiveness of recycling.

City Return & Earn addresses this challenge by partnering with Clean Vibes, a professional event waste management team. Our partners at Clean Vibes can manage event cleanliness and sort waste on-site, so that beverage containers are separated from general waste before collection.

Key benefits of using City Return & Earn for events include:

• On-site bins and clearly labelled stations, making it easy for attendees to recycle correctly.
• Seamless return and refund handling, saving organisers time and effort.
• Generate up to thousands of dollars in container refunds
• Clean, eco-friendly event spaces, reducing litter and demonstrating a commitment to sustainability.

We’re proud to have been the preferred partner for many events and venues across Sydney, such as the Lost Paradise Festival and Sydney Cricket Ground.

Why Partner With City Return & Earn

As Sydney’s preferred recycling partner, we want to make recycling as convenient, efficient, and seamless as possible. Clients who partner with City Return & Earn can enjoy many benefits, such as:

• Fast drive-thru and bulk recycling options make it easy to return containers efficiently.
• Clients can earn 10¢ per eligible container to support their fundraising and operational budgets.
• Convenient bin collections in all commercial and event spaces, reducing the burden of waste logistics.
• Efficient processing and reporting, so clients know exactly their impact and how much they’ve earned.

More importantly, by partnering with City Return & Earn, schools, councils, and local event, organisers can lead by example and foster a culture of sustainability in their communities.

Recycling doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether you’re managing a school, a local event, or a council recycling program, City Return & Earn can support you in making a real difference, while getting rewarded in the process. Every step makes a difference in a greener future.

To learn more about how we can help your organisation, contact our team today.