Recycles more than 450,000 cans accumulated over 7 years and buys a house: “I’ve met a lot of famous people just by cleaning”

Damian Gordon spent seven years cleaning streets and music festivals, gathering discarded cans and bottles, all in the name of recycling. By the time he was done, the 36-year-old from Central Coast, Australia, had racked up over 450,000 containers. That collection wasn’t just a tidy pile of aluminum – it was worth $46,000 AUD (about $49,500 USD).

That’s enough to put down a deposit on his very own home. Not bad for a side hustle, right? But Gordon’s story isn’t just about cans or cash. It’s about waste, culture, and meeting celebrities while scrubbing festival grounds. Here’s a news report on the story.

How much is a single can worth in Australia?

Australia has a refund system called NSW Return and Earn, where each can or bottle earns 10 cents. It’s designed to tackle littering while giving people a small incentive to recycle. Gordon turned that incentive into a personal mission.

But gathering 450,000 containers? That takes more than just sweeping your street corner. Gordon made music festivals his hunting ground, and it wasn’t only about the money. “I wanted to get involved in music festival culture,” he told The Project, an Australian news program. “I’ve met so many famous people just by cleaning in front of the stage.”

At over 500 music festivals a year in Australia, there’s no shortage of opportunity. Gordon volunteered at these events, making himself part of the scene while collecting thousands of recyclable containers at a time. And there was more, as over the years, Gordon says he collected camping gear, string lights, cowboy hats, and even stacks of unopened, non-perishable food.

This isn’t just about free stuff. Gordon points to the sheer scale of waste that festivals – and society at large – produce. “There’s so much waste now. We live in a disposable society,” he told ABC News Australia.

How much did Gordon make per hour?

Naturally, some people have been doing the math. Breaking down the $46,000 AUD haul over seven years, Gordon made about $18 a day, or $126 a week. That’s not exactly enough to quit his day job – he still works full-time to save money – but it’s a decent bonus that, eventually, turned into a home.

And if you’re wondering, that house is a two-bedroom fisherman’s cabin, modest but his. He continues to furnish it with second-hand and recycled items, staying true to his eco-friendly approach. From what he says, the collecting will continue... with aims of paying off that mortgage.

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