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Ku-ring-gai Return & Earn Baskets

  • Jun 28
  • 2 min read

Cash in on your cans as Ku-ring-gai Council rolls out Return and Earn baskets as part of a new recycling trial.


North Shore residents can now cash in on cans and bottles a little easier, with Ku-Ring-Gai Council rolling out new Return and Earn baskets across the area as part of a six-month recycling trial.


Ku-ring-gai Return and Earn Basket

Installed on public bins in busy locations including St Ives, Gordon, Lindfield, Turramurra and Wahroonga, the baskets are designed to encourage people to separate eligible drink containers from general rubbish. Instead of throwing bottles and cans into landfill, residents can leave them in the baskets for others to collect and redeem through the NSW Return and Earn scheme.


The initiative has been introduced through Exchange for Change’s Return and Earn Bin Baskets for Councils program and aims to improve recycling rates while helping reduce litter across the Ku-ring-gai area. Similar programs trialled elsewhere in NSW have shown strong results, with some councils reporting significant reductions in recyclable containers ending up in landfill.


Mayor Christine Kay said the baskets provide a simple but effective reminder for residents to recycle while giving containers “a second life.” She also encouraged community members to collect eligible containers from the baskets and redeem them at local Return and Earn stations for the 10 cent refund.


Ku-ring-gai Return and Earn Basket

According to Council, Ku-ring-gai residents deposited more than three million containers through the Return and Earn scheme between June and December 2025 alone — an impressive 173 tonnes of recyclable material.


In St Ives, the baskets can now be found near St Ives Shopping Village, Hassall Park and St Ives Showground, making it easier than ever for locals to recycle on the go while supporting a cleaner and more sustainable community.


You can find other local baskets at:

  • Gordon Station and St Johns Avenue

  • Pymble Station and shops, Grandview Street

  • Turramurra Station and shops, Rohini Street

  • North Turramurra shops, Bobbin Head Road and Normurra Road

  • Lindfield Oval, Tyron Road

  • Wahroonga Park and shops, Railway Avenue and Redleaf Avenue

  • Roseville Park, Clanville Road

  • Golden Jubilee Field, Esk Street, North Wahroonga

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