Trash to treasure: donate your refund to the river
Georges Riverkeeper launches ‘Change for the Georges River’ fundraiser on World Environment Day, June 5, 2025.
This new donation campaign run through the Return and Earn container deposit scheme makes it easy for the community to contribute to river health by donating their 10c refunds to Georges Riverkeeper.
The campaign, titled 'Change for the Georges River', encourages people across the catchment to turn small change refunds into real impact — funding litter clean-ups, habitat restoration, water quality testing, and community education programs.
Litter data shows a positive shift in part thanks to the success of the container deposit scheme that was introduced in NSW in 2017: litter in the Georges River has dropped from 130 tonnes in 2017–18 to 93 tonnes in 2023–24.
“In addition, a 30–40% drop in drink container litter since the scheme began has been observed,” says Program Manager Nell Graham. “Now, people can go one step further by donating their refund to support the river’s future.”
Read more about the ‘Change for the Georges River’ campaign and how to donate.
