Josh McMahon | Recycling reverse vending machines are now in operation in Grafton and Yamba, almost three months after Clarence consumers began paying for the Return and Earn scheme. Residents can now take eligible cans and bottles to reverse vending machines at Shoppingworld Grafton, behind Coles Express South Grafton, and the Bowlo Sports and Leisure Club at Yamba. The barcode of each bottle or can is scanned, and a voucher for 10 cents per item is printed by the machine that can then be cashed at Coles Supermarket (South Grafton and Yamba) or Woolworths (Yamba). Refunds can also be claimed over the counter at Mathew Metals Recycling in Paperbark Drive Townsend. As of mid-last week, almost 21,500 items had been recycled at South Grafton, and almost 41,000 at Grafton. The Yamba facility was installed late in the week. Yamba Bowlo Sports and Leasure CEO Phil Boughton said last week that he was “delighted” to be part of an initiative that aims to help keep the local community beautiful. The ‘Bowlo’ has supplied a site for the reverse vending machine, free of charge. It’s open from 7am to 10pm daily, and Mr Boughton encouraged locals to use the facility. People are urged to take their non-refundable items home with them, rather than leave them on-site. The Return and Earn scheme is funded by drink companies, who are charged a fee by the NSW Government. Major companies such as Coca Cola Amatil have passed the cost onto consumers through an increase in product prices. The estimated cost of recycling each item is currently around 13 cents, and drink companies have passed the entire cost onto consumers, leaving consumers who recycle three cents per item out of pocket. The cost per item of recycling is anticipated to drop in coming years, but there is no guarantee savings will be passed onto consumers, with the State saying that “drink prices are a matter for individual companies”. The scheme has come under fire from the State Opposition, for failing to put in place recycling stations at the start of the scheme in December last year. Shadow Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said consumers had paid $100 million through purchases for the scheme, but had been able to collect just $8.3million because of a lack of reverse vending machines. She said that just 15 per cent of the planned reverse vending machines were in place as of February 14. The NSW Environment Protection Agency (EPA) that administers the program has refused to answer questions about figures relating to the progressive rollout of the scheme, and has not commented on why machines weren’t in place at the start of the scheme. The scheme reached the milestone of 40 million returns last week, according to NSW Environment Protection Authority Acting Chair and CEO Mark Gifford. “People across the state are really getting behind the scheme and, at the same time as claiming the 10c deposit, they are doing the right thing by the environment,” Mr Gifford said. “Already we are hearing about people seeing less litter in their local parks and sports fields, and we expect to see these environmental benefits increase as people do the right thing with their empty containers.” It is unclear whether there will be more reverse vending machines in the Clarence, but the EPA has said locals can keep track of new stations at www.returnandearn.org.au