At first glance, it’s just a drink container. But when you donate your 10c refund through the Return and Earn scheme to ‘Change for the Georges River’ by Georges Riverkeeper, it becomes something much more powerful — a cleaner river, healthier wildlife, and more liveable communities.
Why It Matters
The Return and Earn container deposit scheme has been a game changer from the outset in reducing litter pollution across New South Wales.
In the scheme’s first year, 2017, Georges Riverkeeper recorded a 30–40% reduction in beverage containers found in rubbish collected along the Georges River and its surrounding catchment. Even more impressively, the total amount of litter removed from the river system has dropped from:
- 130 tonnes in 2017–18
to - 93 tonnes in 2023–24
“Now, we can turn your trash into a force for good,” says Nell Graham, Program Manager at Georges Riverkeeper.
“Not only is Return and Earn keeping litter out of the river — it also lets people directly support river restoration by donating their refund.”
What Your 10c Donation Supports
Every time you donate your container refund to the ‘Change for the Georges River’ campaign by Georges Riverkeeper, you’re helping to:
- Remove litter from waterways and bushland
- Restore habitat for native wildlife like frogs, fish, birds, platypus and koalas
- Monitor water quality and research pollution impacts
- Educate and engage the community in river protection
- Keep the river safe and accessible for everyone to enjoy — from kayaking and swimming to picnics and fishing
How to Donate Your 10c Refund to Georges Riverkeeper
Want your bottles and cans to help clean up the Georges River? Here’s how you can donate your 10c refund through the Return and Earn app:
Download the Return and Earn app from the App Store or Google Play.
Create an account or log in.
Search for ‘Georges Riverkeeper – Change for the River’ and select us as your preferred payout / charity partner.
When you get to the Return and Earn machine, scan your app barcode, deposit any eligible drink containers and select 'Transfer' to donate.
Important: Donations to Georges Riverkeeper can only be made via the app — not directly at the machine. So make sure to set us up in the app first!
Your small change helps make a big difference for river health, native wildlife, and the communities who love the Georges River.
For further details head to the Return and Earn website.
Spread the Word
Help us amplify the impact!
Post your donation and tag a friend:
“I just donated my 10c refunds to Georges Riverkeeper through Return and Earn. That’s $2.50 for the river! I’m tagging @___ to do the same. #ChangeForTheRiver”
Together, we can keep the Georges River clean, vibrant and alive — for wildlife, for people, and for generations to come.
It's easy to support a healthier river through the Return and Earn container deposit scheme in NSW. When you donate your 10c drink container refunds to Georges Riverkeeper, by selecting us as your preferred charity on the Return and Earn app, you’ll be helping to fund litter clean-ups, wildlife habitat restoration, water quality testing and more. Small change can make a big difference! This short video shows you how to select Georges Riverkeeper as your preferred donation partner on the App. Tip: You'll need to download the app first!
