Frequently asked questions

City Return and Earn is a recycling program aimed at reducing litter and promoting recycling by offering refunds for eligible drink containers returned to our depots.

City Return and Earn allows you to get 10 cents per eligible container. Simply drop your containers at one of our depots for a refund or order a bin for home delivery and get it swapped over when full.

By participating in City Return and Earn, you contribute to reducing litter and promoting recycling while earning refunds for your eligible drink containers.

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.

• Look for the 10c label on the container to see if it is eligible or not eligible for a refund. If there is a 10c refund mark, then you should be able to return the drink container, provided it is in good condition (uncrushed, empty, and with the label and barcode intact).
• Most 150ml to three-litre beverage containers are eligible for a 10c refund provided they are made from glass, plastic, aluminum, steel, or liquid paperboard. These are the containers most regularly found in the litter stream.
• Containers need to be empty, uncrushed, unbroken, and have the original label intact.

Generally, containers not eligible for a refund include those that held milk, wine, spirits, or pure fruit or vegetable juice containers larger than 1L.

If your eligible container is not accepted, you can still recycle it by placing it in a recycling bin. This ensures that it will be processed and recycled properly through the regular recycling system.

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.

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 earn 10 cents per eligible container returned.

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 7 business days.

Aluminium, glass, plastic, steel, and liquid paperboard beverage containers between 150ml and 3 litres are eligible.

Your containers are counted in bulk, quickly and accurately by our machines at the depot.

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.

Yes, you can. Simply request a bin delivery to your home or business. When it’s full, we'll pick it up and swap it with a new one for a small fee.