Recycling Success for Maitland

Ms JENNY AITCHISON (Maitland—Minister for Regional Transport and Roads)—Congratulations to the residents of Maitland who have recycled more than 121 million bottles, cans and cartons since Return and Earn began six years ago. Maitland residents have earned $12.1 million in container refunds that have gone back into the community's pockets, through refunds, vouchers and donations to local organisations. Turning 121 million recycled containers into new containers, rather than using new materials, has saved 711 million litres of water, which is enough water to fill 284 Olympic swimming pools. It has also saved 159,236 gigajoules of energy, which is enough to power a household for 1274 years, and has saved 7.26 million kilograms of waste from landfill, enough to fill 764 garbage trucks. The recycled containers have also saved 14.593 million kilograms of carbon emissions from going into the atmosphere, which is equivalent to keeping 5401 cars off the road for a year. Maitland has four collection machines at Rutherford, Aberglasslyn, Rutherford and Thornton. At the recent Clean Up Australia Day event, we saw the least amount of plastic bottles that we have seen for the last 8 years, largely thanks to the community's recycling efforts. Congratulations Maitland, keep up the great work!