On the occasion of the World Environment Day, Ecoembes presents us RECYCLES, Return and Reward System (SDR) that allows citizens to obtain sustainable or social prizes in exchange for recycling. This is a revolutionary formula to reward the commitment of citizens, putting within their reach the possibility of recycling waste and caring for the environment in an even more attractive way.
As this initiative is presented on its own website, RECICLOS is an app that rewards you for recycling cans and plastic bottles of beverages. An idea that since 2019, is already implemented in more than one hundred municipalities throughout Spain.
Idea
Recycling more and better, is the basis of the RECICLOS project: taking another step on the path of recycling culture and raising awareness in society. The commitment to a model that tries to promote circularity of packaging and at the same time involve citizens more.
The "birth" of RECICLOS took place in TheCircularLab, the Ecoembes open innovation center, in 2019. The idea was successfully tested in the municipalities of Catalonia, after which it was decided to expand it to the rest of Spain.
Images from the reciclos.com website
To make this project come true, the role played by technology has been fundamental. This has reached the yellow containers installed on public roads, in which we deposit cans and plastic bottles. But also to the recycling machines that we can already find in places like shopping centers, train stations, etc.
In addition, little by little a ring is being installed in many of these containers that will serve to know what types of containers and in what quantity are deposited, as well as the frequency. Are the smart containers, who anticipate the future of recycling.
For the user, the reward for recycling comes in the form of points (called RECYCLES) that can be accumulated and redeemed in the manner explained below. However, there is another even greater reward: that of knowing that we are doing something really effective to take care of the environment. This is how its own creators transmit it:
“With the RECICLOS Return and Reward System (SDR) we seek to apply technology to the recycling of cans and plastic bottles of beverages in yellow containers and machines. To do this, we developed the RECICLOS APP, which allows us to approach an audience that is increasingly familiar with digital. If applications are used for everything, why not create one for packaging recycling, with which, in addition to promoting this gesture, we reward citizens?
How It Works
This SDR works through the RECYCLES app, which allows the barcode of cans and plastic bottles of beverages to be scanned through the mobile phone screen. So to participate in this initiative, the first thing we have to do is download the application, which is also totally free. These are the download links for iOS y Android:
Once we have the app on our phone, these are the steps to follow:
- First we start the RECYCLING application.
- Then we scan the barcode of the container that we want to recycle.
- Next, said container must be deposited in a yellow container or machine.
- Finally, we scan the QR code of said container or machine.
How to redeem our RECYCLES?
After carrying out each operation, we will obtain points that we will later be able to exchange for a series of incentives. There are two ways to use these RECYCLES:
- use them for participate in sweepstakes in which you can opt for prizes such as electric scooters, tablets or electric bicycles. And it is that electric mobility is also a way of caring for the environment. To date, more than 3.000 of these raffles have already been held.
- donate them to support sustainability projects or of a social nature at the hands of NGOs or neighborhood associations committed to taking care of the planet and helping those who need it most.
That's all you can (and we all can) gain by participating in the RECYCLING project. A small effort that is very worthwhile, right? If you are interested, you will find more information in your websites.