Since December, more than $787,000 has gone back in to the community, which represents the 7.87 million items locals have put through the self-service recycling units.

Tamworth Regional Council waste operations manger Dan Coe said council’s contractor Challenge Recycling had reported some light decrease in the volume of kerbside recycling of drink containers.

However, it appears most of it is being diverted to the local Return and Earn locations.

“Since the Container Deposit Scheme started in NSW on 1 December last year, Challenge Recycling has seen a 50 per cent reduction in glass presented for kerbside recycling here, a 30 per cent reduction in PET drink containers and a 40 per cent reduction in aluminium drink cans,” he said.

“However, at the same time it appears there has been a strong take up at the local Return and Earn facilities.”

The Return and Earn at South Tamworth IGA is the city’s most popular recycling location, with more than 2.85 million items deposited.

The Oxley Bowling Club ran in at second with 2.32 million units, with Calala IGA also pulling big numbers at 1.25 million.

Gunnedah residents have also taken to the program, putting more than 3 million units through the Return and Earn at Woolworths.

Across the state, litter has dropped by 37 per cent since 2013, and the government says the Return and Earn program is responsible for a one-third reduction in drink container litter.

NSW Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton said on average, three million containers a day were being collected at return points.

“Overall, there has been a 33 per cent drop in Return and Earn eligible drink containers in the litter stream since November 2017 – the month before the scheme was introduced on 1 December,” Ms Upton said.

“More than 560 million containers have been processed by Return and Earn so far and as more collection points are rolled out, these results can only increase.”