The Environment Protection Authority has revealed more than 13 million bottles and cans have been recycled, each with a 10 cent refund, since the first machine started at Woolworths in North Orange in January 2018.

The second machine, at Flipout in Edward Street, opened last August.

EPA acting CEO Mark Gifford said the scheme had been successful.

"The Orange community has helped NSW achieve a 57 per cent reduction in eligible drink container litter since Return and Earn started.In April 2018, Orange had recorded 662,838 containers and by April 2019 that number had increased to [10.7 million]," he said.

"The recent summer period was the busiest across the network with the daily record set on January 28 with 6.8 million. Orange reverse vending machines collecting 56,000 containers on that day."

It has also seen less recyclables going into residents' yellow garbage bins.

Orange City Council spokesman Nick Redmond said there had been a reduction "by around 20 per cent" since the scheme began.

"Council's [garbage collection] contractor JR Richards has welcomed Return and Earn and is exploring what this drop in volume means for their business," he said.

Cr Stephen Nugent, council's Environmental Sustainability committee chair, said it might be time for a third machine. "Maybe one more machine in Orange would be a good thing in a different location," he said.

Cr Nugent said it was also leading to less rubbish in the city's parks and waterways.