REVERSE VENDING MACHINE: TRASH TO CASH

Amari Maré

@amari.mare

 

The North-West University (NWU) Potchefstroom campus has installed its first Reverse Vending Machine (RVM). That means you get money instead of giving money. Although with this machine, you can get so much more than that!

 

Why the RVM?

 

Even though each NWU campus has its own recycling facility, there are two major concerns that the Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) Department identified: illegal recycling, where individuals collect recyclables for their own personal gain and recycle them through a third party. The second concern is the contamination of materials, which can only be recycled if they are clean.

 

Doctor Rohan Fourie, a SHE consultant, explained that the RVM was introduced to fill the gap, specifically for plastics, aluminium cans, and Tetra Pak recyclables.

 

 

What Is A Reverse Vending Machine?

 

An RVM works exactly the opposite way of a normal vending machine. Dr Fourie and his colleagues are passionate about recycling while giving back to students. The SHE Department is giving power back to students by giving them responsibility for their own recycling, and allowing them to receive the rebate themselves. Instead of depositing money and getting a snack, you deposit plastic bottles or cans in exchange for money and vouchers directly on the Imagined Earth app, which can be used at selected stores.

 

How It Works

 

The machine has a large touchscreen where you can set up your profile. First download the Imagined Earth app; this is where all your information will appear — what you recycled and what you have earned for each item.

 

There is a circle with a green flickering light that shows where the material should be inserted. The RVM uses multiple cameras and AI technology to identify the materials you deposit. After identifying the material, the machine automatically sorts it and compacts it into smaller pieces.

 

 

Why It Matters

 

The use of this machine will increase recycling because of the automatic sorting and the decreased chance of contamination. Dr Fourie explained that since establishing the recycling facilities, NWU has increased recycling from 0% to nearly 30%, diverting more than 315 tons of waste from landfill.

 

This is just the beginning of improving the quality of recyclables while also benefiting students. The RVM empowers students to care for their environment and make it a better, cleaner place while earning rewards. This initiative proves that small actions can create big change, especially when everyone works together.

 

 

Edited by Simoné de Witt