Published on 10 January 2024
Local couple Monica and Rocky Leith have grown their drink container recycling business, opening a new stand-alone Return and Earn automated depot after three years of successfully operating an over-the-counter service at Mulwala Laundry.
The new Mulwala Return and Earn Depot is now open at 34 McCarthy Street in a large, dedicated facility.
Monica and Rocky took over operations of Mulwala Laundry in 2020 and over the last three years have grown their drink container recycling service to the point they needed to move to new premises.
Monica said that never in her wildest dreams would have imagined the return point would grow how it did.
The larger location now provides the Mulwala community with a quick and convenient new location to recycle their eligible bottles and cans. They accept any volume of containers, with the sorting and counting machines making it ideal for customers returning 500 or more containers.
Monica and Rocky manage the day-to-date operations, with their three children, Maiko, Nate and Ryder, helping out on weekends and public holidays. They also employ local students to help during the busy school holiday periods.
Federation Shire residents are already enthusiastic recyclers, having returned over 83 million bottles, cans and cartons for recycling through local return points since the scheme began and over $8.3 million in container refunds back to the community. Mulwala Return and Earn Depot is the fourth return point in the shire.
Return and Earn has become a way of life in NSW, with over 10.4 billion drink containers returned for recycling through its network of almost 620 return points across the state since the scheme began and more than $1.04 billion in container refunds has gone back to the community.
Mulwala Return and Earn Depot is located at 34 McCarthy Street and is open from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm Monday to Friday, and 10:00 am to 3:00 pm on Sundays.
For more information visit: www.returnandearn.org.au.