TAMWORTH has made more than $3 million recycling bottles and cans through the region's Return and Earn machines.
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It comes as the state government initiative turns its focus to drought and bushfire support this summer.
People can opt to donate their 10c refund to 'Bottles for the Bush' and help support fire and drought affected communities by donating some of their empty bottles, cans and cartons at any Return and Earn reverse vending machine.
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Tamworth could certainly raise its fair share for the cause with the city proving it has been pretty thirsty in recent years.
Since the reverse vending machines opened in December 2017, more than 33 million containers returned to date.
Tamworth has contributed to the more than 430 schools, charities, community and sporting groups have featured as local donation partners on reverse vending machines across NSW.
More than $617,000 has been raised for donation partners in the last two years.
"Return and Earn has been very successful in the Tamworth area with more than 33,675,753 million containers returned to the three local reverse vending machines and one automated depot, helping contribute to more than 2.7 billion containers collected in NSW," A NSW Environmental Protection Agency spokesperson said.
"Return and Earn has fundamentally changed people's thinking and behaviour around litter with over 5 million drink containers returned every day and growing."
Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment James Griffin said the people of NSW should be commended.
"Return and Earn now has over five million drink containers returned everyday and growing, and an impressive current redemption rate of 67 per cent of eligible drink containers supplied into NSW," Mr Griffin said.
"This time last year we were celebrating one billion containers returned on the first anniversary of Return and Earn.
"The growth of the scheme has seen us knocking on the door of three billion a year later."