Recycling is already something that is done naturally by millions of people around the world. There comes a time when you don’t even realize it… paper with paper, light packaging with light packaging, organic here… but there is still a lot of work to do to make it a common activity for everyone.
One of the projects that will help a lot with this topic is RECICLOS; an SDR system (Return and Reward System) that is presented in Spain to reward those who recycle, offering sustainable and social incentives for the recycling cans and plastic beverage bottles.
Details can be found at www.reciclos.com. There you can read how the project has been carried out in Spain by Ecoembes, and how it adds ingredients in the recycling process. By recycling we will earn points that we can invest in contributions to NGOs, participation in bicycle raffles and public transport ticket raffles, among others.
RECICLOS is already present in municipalities of all the Autonomous Communities of Spain, both in yellow containers and in RECICLOS machines that will be installed in transport stations and shopping and leisure centres.
How RECYCLES works
It would not be feasible to put new containers throughout Spain, which is why what they have done is to incorporate additional technology in the yellow containers already installed on public roads, so that the citizen will not have to go to another place to throw away the cans and bottles of beverage plastic.
The operation is simple, it is explained in this infographic.
As you can see, you only have to perform a few simple steps:
1 – Download the RECICLOS app (iOS or android)
2 – Scan the barcode of the cans and plastic bottles that we want to recycle
3 – Deposit the container in a yellow container or RECYCLING machine
4 – Scan the QR code of the container or of the RECICLOS machine
5 – Get points
In this image you can see photos of the process carried out in one of the RECICLOS machines.
In Sant Boi de Llobregat they have also installed a ring on the mouth of the containers that identifies not only the containers, but also the frequency and places where they recycle,
What can be done with the RECYCLES obtained?
Once we have points for recycling cans and plastic bottles, we can redeem them in several ways:
1 – Participating in raffles to win public transport tickets, scooters, bicycles, among others.
2 – Donating to social or environmental NGOs to improve the neighborhood and help those who need it most
They will also carry out promotions from time to time, such as the one shown in the image above, where we can win a tablet for recycling five containers.
An excellent idea from TheCircularLab, the Ecoembes innovation center, which will help foster the habit of recycling, not only to meet the recycling targets set by the European Union, but also to help it become a individual responsibility.
