Frequently asked questions

City Return and Earn is a convenient recycling service that helps you turn your eligible drink containers into cash - without the hassle. We’re part of the NSW Return and Earn network, offering both walk-in and drive-through depot services, as well as home and business collections.

Whether you're dropping off at one of our locations or booking a pickup, we make recycling easy, accessible, and rewarding while helping reduce landfill and litter across our communities.

Every eligible drink container is worth 10 cents - and over time, that adds up. By using City Return and Earn, you're not only putting money back in your pocket, you're also helping reduce litter and promote proper recycling.

We make it even easier with our convenient collection service. Whether you're a busy household, require accessible options, or manage a school, business or club with a lot of containers, our team will come to you. No sorting, no travel, no problems.

City Return and Earn makes recycling simple. You collect your eligible drink containers like cans, plastic bottles, and cartons and either drop them off at one of our convenient depot locations or book a home or business pickup.

We sort and process the containers through the Return and Earn scheme, and you receive 10 cents for each eligible item. It's an easy way to reduce waste, support sustainability, and earn some extra cash - all without the hassle.

Most drink containers made from aluminium, glass, plastic, steel, and liquid paperboard between 150ml and 3 litres are eligible for a 10c refund. Just look for the “10c refund” mark on the label to be sure.

To be accepted, containers must be:

• Empty (no liquid)
• Uncrushed
• Have the barcode intact
• Lids can stay on

Not eligible:
Cordial bottles, wine and spirit bottles, plain milk bottles, and large juice containers. They can still be recycled through your yellow household recycling bin, which ensures that it will be processed and recycled properly through the regular recycling system.

You don't need to sort containers by material type (e.g., glass, plastic, aluminum). Our machine will sort them at our depot.

You can bring your drink containers to one of our two convenient locations:

• Mascot Depot: 285 King St, Mascot, NSW 2020.
• Silverwater Depot: 196 Silverwater Road, Silverwater, NSW 2128.

It is not recommended to crush cans and bottles as they may not be recognised by our recycling machine. Please leave them in their original shape to ensure they are properly identified and processed.

No, it is not necessary to take the lids off your containers before recycling them. You can leave the lids on, and they will still be properly processed by our machines.

Containers without labels are not accepted. However, please place them in a recycling bin to ensure they are recycled properly and don't end up in landfill.

If you are unable to come to one of our depots, you can request a bin to be delivered to your home. We will then collect the bin when it is full and swap it with a new one for a small fee. For more information, check our Home Collection page or contact us directly.

If you drop off your containers at the depot, you are eligible to receive cash. However, if you are getting your refund from bin collection, the money will be transferred to your nominated bank account within 21 business days.

Once we collect your containers or you drop them off at one of our depots, they’re sorted and scanned using automated counting systems. These machines quickly and accurately scans your eligible containers.

Simply let us know you want to make a donation when returning your containers at the depot.

We believe the KARI Foundation's values align closely with ours. KARI is dedicated to providing support and opportunities to Aboriginal communities through education, culture, and community programs.