Objects which shoppers push through a hole on the outside of the machine are scanned to determine the material they are made from. If it is PET, such as a drinking water bottle, it will pass through a set of rollers which compact it before dropping into internal storage compartments.
If it is rejected, the item will drop back out through a hole in the machine. Recoup has installed a “side-cabinet” bin for rejected material so it can analyse the non-PET material consumers are trying to recycle.
There are two internal containers in the base of the unit which hold 350-400 bottles each and a sensor alerts shopping centre staff when the machine is full. They will then empty the compartments manually and transfer the bottles to an external contractor's bin
Recoup
Plastic recycling network Recoup is managing the trial, which follows on from the government's English waste strategy which stated that more public recycling facilities could help to divert waste from landfill. It is estimated that plastic bottles make up 23,000 tonnes of the annual “out of home” waste stream, which includes packaging from convenience and snack foods or drinks eaten on the go.
Recoup chief executive John Simmons said: “This is a very exciting project for Recoup and also a key move in extending the opportunities to recycle plastic packaging, something that we all have to focus on moving forwards.
“The positive response and co-operation from our partners in this initiative has been very encouraging and it will be most interesting to see how the public respond to this ‘away from home' recycling initiative,” he added.
The reverse vending machine is so-called because when shoppers deposit bottles into the machine, a voucher is dispensed. In Milton Keynes, this grants consumers a free hot drink if they buy a pasty from nearby Morris Pasties. In Peterborough, the voucher gives 50p of a Boots chemist meal deal.
The trial, which is funded by pharmaceutical and healthcare company GlaxoSmithKline, will run for six months and when completed, the results will be published online. It is hoped it can be used as a business model for similar sites.
Recoup project officer Lucy Shields added: “We believe that in areas with high public through flow selling 'food and drinks' large quantities of plastic bottles, other packaging and food waste will exist. This trial will bring the opportunity for everyone to engage in recycling out of the home as well as in the home.”
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