Over 7 million cans and bottles have been recycled through supermarkets in the ReTurn scheme in Cavan and Monaghan in the past year.
Since the launch of the ReTurn scheme a year ago, people in Cavan have brought back 4,396,137 items to reverse vending machines in Supervalu and Centra stores in the county. 2, 804,729 bottles and cans have been fed through 11 machines installed in Supervalu and Centra stores in County Monaghan.
Nationwide, a total of 210 million containers have been returned in the first 12 months of the scheme This is the equivalent of every citizen in Ireland recycling 42 containers each. Saturdays are the most popular day for customer recycling in the stores as people do their 'big shop'