New vending machines eat your trash

Several new vending machines could be littering the streets of Sydney city, but instead of dispensing cans, they will eat them.

To encourage recycling, Sydney City Council is looking into installing ‘reverse’ vending machines in high traffic areas around the CBD.

The devices look like typical vending machines, but instead of inserting coins and receiving a drink or snack; users insert cans or bottles for recycling, and may receive competition entry forms, tokens or vouchers in return.

Each machine is fitted with a scanner which reads the barcode of the items inserted to determine what can and can’t be recycled.

Items are then crunched on site and sorted into separate bins, reducing the frequency of empytying.

Narelle Anderson, Managing Director of reverse vending machine manufacturer Envirobank said this method was a fuss-free way to handle rubbish and to reward consumers for doing the right thing.

“Each year approximately 116,000 tonnes of rubbish ends up as land fill because it is contaminated with non-recyclable material.”

One tonne of recyclable aluminium cans reduces carbon emissions by 7.9 per cent if they were to be made from raw materials.

“The vending machines are able to calculate an accurate carbon footprint report,” said Anderson.

The environmentally friendly machines also allow consumers to donate their rewards to a charity of their choice and are fitted with LCD screens which display different messages.
Last month, Australia’s first reverse vending machine was installed at the Metcentre in Wynyard.

Another is installed at the International Grammar School in Ultimo.

“We’ve recycled 1600 items in just under three weeks,” says facilities manager Patrick Skagerfalt.

“The kids have been very enthusiastic about it, one even brought in cans from home so he could recycle them.”

Ms Anderson said Envirobank hopes to distribute approximately 300 machines around Australia in the coming months.

“The aim is wherever there is a vending machine, you could find an Envirobank reversible vending machine.”

by Nastasia Campanella