MORE than 26 million drink containers have been fed into Griffith's Return and Earn machines since the scheme was first introduced.
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The NSW Government initiative was rolled out from November 2017, with Griffith receiving the first of two machines in January, 2018.
The program offers 10-cent refunds for certain drink containers with MIA residents embracing the scheme with enthusiasm.
Griffith and surrounding areas have been "enthusiastic contributors to the scheme" with more than 40.7 million containers collected across the region, a NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) spokesman said.
"Over 26 million of this figure has come from the two reverse vending machines in Griffith," he said.
"The machine located in Leeton has also contributed over 13 million containers."
Statewide, more than four billion drink containers have been returned through the Return and Earn network, with the latest research finding three out of four NSW adults have participated in the scheme.
The EPA spokesman said the scheme has fundamentally changed people's thinking and behaviour around litter with over 40 million containers on average returned per week through the network of over 600 return points across NSW.
The scheme has also become an important fundraising avenue for charities and community groups with people able to elect to donate their refund.
"Some of these charities and local community groups that have featured as donation partners since 2017, they include: Griffith Community Centre, Verity Care and Education, Barnabas House, Can Assist Griffith and Griffith Meals on Wheels Inc," the EPA spokesman said.
Across NSW, more than $10.4 million has been raised through the scheme for charities and not-for-profits via donations and revenue.
Hundreds of community groups, schools, sporting clubs and charities are using the scheme to fundraise for a range of projects, including supporting wildlife impacted by the recent bushfires.
Griffith's Return and Earn machines are located at Foodworks and at Woolworths Griffith North.