An incentive to refund 10 cents for a recyclable drink container will give individuals an opportunity to earn up to $5.

The initiative has been coordinated by Total Environment Centre (TEC), a non-profit group, which aims to persuade the state government to introduce a refund scheme – similar to those in South Australia and the Northern Territory.

The group has enlisted the assistance of Kempsey Shire Council, which will host the initiative at its stall in the showground pavilion.

To be eligible for the 10c exchange, plastic, glass or aluminium containers must be labelled as refundable in SA and NT.

Refunds will be available at the show on Tuesday, from 9.30am to 4pm; and on Wednesday, from 9.30am to 11.30am, until the money runs out.

After that recyclers will get a ticket in a prize draw for every ten containers returned.

The organisers have put a $5 limit on total refunds to encourage more people to participate.

TEC supports the campaign for a national container deposit system.

A spokesperson the Kempsey Show initiative had been timed to coincide with a meeting between the environment ministers of Victoria and NSW on Tuesday.

They will discuss the set-up of a two-state system, which campaigners say will lead inevitably to a national system.

“Kempsey locals have recently sent about 200 letters to Andrew Stoner MP, as part of the big push to get NSW government to support container deposits,” the TEC spokesperson said. 

Locals can send a message to the new Premier Mike Baird via the Boomerang Alliance website boomerangalliance.org.au