The St Vincent de Paul Society NSW operated Penrith Return and Earn Depot has reached a major recycling milestone, processing an incredible 100 million containers and returning $10 million in refunds to the local community since opening its doors in 2017.

The Penrith Return and Earn Depot has been a key driver in the region’s recycling efforts, helping reduce waste while supporting the Society NSW’s vital programs and services. 

The environmental benefits of recycling 100 million containers are significant. It is the equivalent of saving enough energy to power 1,365 households for a year, enough water to fill 234 Olympic swimming pools, and avoiding carbon emissions equivalent to taking 7,267 cars off the road for an entire year. 

The Penrith Return and Earn Depot offers a convenient drive-through recycling service where machines can sort plastics from glass and process up to 100 containers per minute, making the process easier and accessible. 

As a return point operator, the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW receives a handling fee for every container processed. This provides a valuable source of revenue that’s reinvested into the Society NSW’s community support programs, including food assistance, financial aid, and homelessness support. 

In the past year alone, more than 5,000 people in the Nepean region received assistance from the Society NSW, with over $225,000 distributed to help locals afford essentials such as food, clothing, housing costs and more. Around one-third of these individuals sought help for the very first time, a reflection of the growing pressures facing people across NSW.

Member for Penrith, Karen McKeown OAM said:

“Congratulations to Penrith residents on this fabulous milestone.  This demonstrates the real difference recycling can make for both the environment and our local community.

“Processing 100 million containers and returning $10 million to locals pockets, highlights the important role the Penrith Return and Earn Depot plays for our community. It is a win/win for everyone.