The Return and Earn machine at Westfield Eastgardens will close temporarily from 8pm on Sunday 3 May for an upgrade to the latest “takes all” technology, with the machine expected to reopen at 7am on Thursday 7 May.
The upgrade is good news for local recyclers. The new technology means all eligible containers, glass, plastic and aluminium alike, can go into any of the machine’s chutes without pre-sorting. Previously, glass containers had to be separated before returning, so the change makes the whole process faster and simpler, particularly for anyone returning a full bag of mixed containers.
Return and Earn has been rolling out the takes-all technology across its NSW network as part of an ongoing upgrade programme, and the Eastgardens machine will join a growing number of sites across Sydney that now accept everything in a single, unsorted drop.
A Strong Recycling Culture in Bayside
Anyone needing to return eligible drink containers between Sunday 3 May and Thursday 7 May can use the following nearby return points. The Pacific Square Maroubra machine is at 737 Anzac Parade.
A Community That Already Recycles Well
The Eastgardens upgrade arrives in one of NSW’s most active Return and Earn communities. Bayside residents have returned more than 457 million eligible drink containers through local return points since the scheme launched in December 2017, a figure that translates to tens of millions of dollars in refunds back in local pockets, and an enormous volume of material diverted from landfill and litter.
Each eligible container, whether glass, plastic, aluminium, steel or liquid paperboard, earns a 10-cent refund when returned. Refunds can be collected as a printed voucher redeemable at Woolworths, transferred directly to a bank account or PayPal via the Return and Earn app, or donated to one of more than 500 charity and community partners listed in the app.
The Westfield Eastgardens machine will reopen at 7am on Thursday 7 May. For your nearest return point at any time, visit returnandearn.org.au or call 1800 290 691.
Published 26-April-2026
