'Don't crush it': Rotary's can-do plan for drinks at racing carnival

The charity is expected to make up to $15,000 from collecting cans and bottles at race meetings and events held at the racecourse.

Since it started late last year, Rotary Club of Warrnambool Central has already made about $1200 cashing in cans and bottles it has collected.

Rotary's John Hutson said by getting the 10 cents back on each can or bottle, the club expected to make between $11,500 and $15,000 which would be directed back into charitable projects and events.

"Also locally we help a lot of people out, families in need. A lot of it goes unheralded which we like," Mr Hutson said.

Some of the money raised will also help get potable water to remote parts of Papua New Guinea.

"What we're trying to do is alleviate the contamination that's going into landfill," he said.

"We've probably kept 150,000 cans a year out of landfill, and bottles as well."

Mr Hutson said they really wanted to get the message out to racegoers.

"Please don't flatten or crush your cans. Rotary needs them," he said.

"You can process the cans but not if they're squashed and the barcode is damaged,"

About 11 Rotary members will come to the track on the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of the carnival to collect the cans and bottles to be cashed in.