Reverse Vending Recycling Initiative

7/22/2019 Reverse Vending Recycling Initiative

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Project Executive: Robbie Lusk

Project Advisor:

Josh James (Recycling Coordinator)

Faculty Advisor:

Bradden Blair (Information Systems)

12/6/13

Reverse Vending Recycling Initiative

Thelatest statistics from the EPA reveal that when it comes to recycling, we still have a long way

to goespecially for certain materials. In the US we generate over 4 lb. of municipal solid waste per

personevery day. And despite the growth of recycling programs, we are still only recycling about 1/3 of

the waste generated. 2010 statistics show that paper leads the pack at roughly 63% recovery, followed

by metals at 35%, glass at 27% and plastics at less than 10%. The U.S. is behind in getting on board with

the recycling movement. Brazil is currently leading the way in aluminum recycling. Figures from the

countrys aluminium association (Abal) and high-recyclability can producers association (Abralatas) show

that about 267,100 tons of cans were recycled in 2012 in Brazil. In comparison, the USA recycled 67% of

the cans in the market while Japan recycled 92.5%. In 2011, Brazil had recycled 98.3% of the cans.

So whats wrong with our campaigns to educate and motivate people to recycle? Until recycling

becomes a social norm and not an environmental movement, we need to create alternative incentives.

That is the basis of this project: to incentivize recycling efforts by providing a point-based reward system

for recycling and other sustainability-supporting activities. By creating a community of students through

social media platforms, we would better be able to communicate as well as further our efforts to

incentivize recycling efforts.

This system allows users to create teams and recycle against each other, participate in recycling

challenges and compare each others or their communities impact with each other in real time.

Characteristics of Reverse Vending Machines (RVM):

Separate at source

Can put in any plastic or aluminum container that fits. You dont need to bring in bags full

to make it valuable; one bottle is still worth it.

Very easy to use. You can see all your data and compare it to your university and to

other universities.

Compete for prizes and awards
http://www.epa.gov/osw/nonhaz/municipal/msw99.htmhttp://www.epa.gov/osw/nonhaz/municipal/msw99.htm


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Produce the highest quality of material (clean stream) vs. single stream or a traditional

blue bin. Glass wont break, no contamination, you dont have to sift it out after a plant.

Incorporates real time analytics, social media, and gaming in the vending machine and

web app process.

The success of the Greenbean Beta machine has sparked the interest of students and sustainability

officers from colleges nationwide. Existing sustainability funds make it easy for Greenbean to be the

preferred recycling solution for engaging students in the green movement. Although initially targeting

colleges and universities, the Greenbean team plans to expand to stadiums, airports, condominiums and

any place with a high traffic of recyclable materials.

There are 8 universities currently using Greenbean programs: MIT, Tufts, Brandeis, Harvard,

Northeastern, Merrimack College, Wellesley College, Bentley.

We would be the second university in the west (after University of California, Irvine with a Pepsico.

DreamMachine) to have a machine installed.

The program is an exciting new way to motivate recycling participation. Dawn Quirk, Tufts University

Recycling Coordinator

People already doing it

1. http://www.reversevending.co.uk/ (United Kingdom)

2. https://www.gbrecycle.com/(East Coast Universities)

3. http://revarecycles.com/ (Middle East)

4. https://pepsicorecycling.com/ (Pepsis initiative in schools K-12 across the country)

Related Press

1. CNN-http://whatsnext.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/09/mit-project-tries-to-turn-trash-into-a-game/

2. The Boston Globe-

http://www.boston.com/business/globe/globe100/globe_100_2012/globe_100_innovators_20

12?pg=5

3. Technorati-http://technorati.com/lifestyle/green/article/greenbean-recycle-turns-recycling-

into-an/#ixzz1dMi3x2A7

Project Goals:

Connect with people who are recycling
http://www.reversevending.co.uk/http://www.reversevending.co.uk/https://www.gbrecycle.com/https://www.gbrecycle.com/http://revarecycles.com/http://revarecycles.com/https://pepsicorecycling.com/https://pepsicorecycling.com/http://whatsnext.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/09/mit-project-tries-to-turn-trash-into-a-game/http://whatsnext.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/09/mit-project-tries-to-turn-trash-into-a-game/http://whatsnext.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/09/mit-project-tries-to-turn-trash-into-a-game/http://www.boston.com/business/globe/globe100/globe_100_2012/globe_100_innovators_2012?pg=5http://www.boston.com/business/globe/globe100/globe_100_2012/globe_100_innovators_2012?pg=5http://www.boston.com/business/globe/globe100/globe_100_2012/globe_100_innovators_2012?pg=5http://technorati.com/lifestyle/green/article/greenbean-recycle-turns-recycling-into-an/#ixzz1dMi3x2A7http://technorati.com/lifestyle/green/article/greenbean-recycle-turns-recycling-into-an/#ixzz1dMi3x2A7http://technorati.com/lifestyle/green/article/greenbean-recycle-turns-recycling-into-an/#ixzz1dMi3x2A7http://technorati.com/lifestyle/green/article/greenbean-recycle-turns-recycling-into-an/#ixzz1dMi3x2A7http://technorati.com/lifestyle/green/article/greenbean-recycle-turns-recycling-into-an/#ixzz1dMi3x2A7http://technorati.com/lifestyle/green/article/greenbean-recycle-turns-recycling-into-an/#ixzz1dMi3x2A7http://www.boston.com/business/globe/globe100/globe_100_2012/globe_100_innovators_2012?pg=5http://www.boston.com/business/globe/globe100/globe_100_2012/globe_100_innovators_2012?pg=5http://whatsnext.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/09/mit-project-tries-to-turn-trash-into-a-game/https://pepsicorecycling.com/http://revarecycles.com/https://www.gbrecycle.com/http://www.reversevending.co.uk/


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Connect with people who arentrecycling

Data: Provide transparent, quantifiable data on recycling efforts

Impact:Visible, campus-wide involvement; create an invaluable community of students

through social media and web-based apps

Income:Income generated through the recyclables as well as future advertising revenuefrom local business sponsors; income would support project as well as the Recycling

Department

How it Works

Contest Examples

Earth day challenge top 10 recyclers win gift cards to their Bookstore and one of the top 10 recyclers

could win a Google Nexus, or a College sweatshirt!

Register online or at the

machine

Recycle your bottles and cans atthe machine

See your results instantly, PlayChallenges, and Redeem Prizes
https://www.gbrecycle.com/extrahttps://www.gbrecycle.com/extrahttps://www.gbrecycle.com/extra


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It's America Recycles Day today, post a picture of yourself recycling at the Greenbean Machine and

get a Free Burrito thanks to our sponsor Boloco!

11/15/11 - 12/15/11

Aramco Corporate Compound (Saudi Arabia)

Statistics (Other Companies using Tomra Machines)

Greenbean

Nov 08 LiveStats (2 years) 294,989 containers

50,246.96 lbs diverted from landfill

47,574.28 kWh energy saved
https://www.gbrecycle.com/extrahttps://www.gbrecycle.com/extrahttps://www.gbrecycle.com/extrahttps://www.gbrecycle.com/extra


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Merrimack

Last MonthThis Month

Containers:119392953

kWh Saved:1658.63418.07

BentleyLast MonthThis Month

Containers:145372723

kWh Saved:2607.68453.95

TuftsLast MonthThis Month

Containers:1994926

kWh Saved:416.36209.43

Campus Data for November 2013 (Greenbean)


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Pepsico. Dream Machine University Campuses

2013-14 Campus Recycling Challenge Leaders

Sep 01, 2013 - Nov 08, 2013SCHOOL LOCATION

Average Recycled Beverag

Containers Per Kiosk

1 Mountwest College Huntington, WV 4212

2 Rider University Princeton, NJ 2703

3 University of St. Francis Joliet, IL 2667

4 University of Maryland Baltimore County Baltimore, MD 2275

5 Joliet Junior College Joliet, IL 2058

6 Florida International University Miami, FL 1246

7 Oklahoma State University Stillwater Stillwater, OK 1094

8

University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA 846

9 Oklahoma State University Okmulgee Okmulgee, OK 698

10 Tennessee State University Nashville, TN 605


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Social Media

Community of students

Games and activities, current events, important facts

Utilize sponsors rewards and prizes to keep followers active

Advertising (income generated from local business ads)

Surveys, feedback for points

QR Codes around campus on sustainability campaigns linking to

the website

Ability to market our own messages, campaigns

Budget Factors

Uno Promo Machine (approx. $14,000)

Machine maintenance (hardware cost, maintenance, etc.) ($250)

Delivery and Installation (approx. $1,200)

Program execution labor (one intern position to manage social

media platforms/web-based app, as well as maintain relationships

with sponsors; maintaining the machine) (Project Intern, Recycling

Department, $10/hr., 15 hours a week first semester, 8 hours a

week in subsequent semesters)


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Initial startup labor costs associated with web development,

creation of social media presence, and extensive work acquiring

sponsors and advertising revenue ($10/hr.)

Material handling labor (empty the machine regularly, clean,replace receipt tape, minor troubleshooting) - Union Director

Branden Dalley and Recycling Coordinator Josh James fully

support the project and are committed to assist with daily

functional activities. Pick-ups will be done by current Union staff

Base $ for rewards (initial fund before acquiring

sponsors/revenue) ($1,000)

Cost offset by invaluable data and the creation of a social media

and web-based community, as well as future revenue potential

Pilot project- no commitment, but could be something that we

could grow and expand on in the future.

Going to use Purchasing Department

RVM Model and Features

Recognition Technology

Bar Code Scanner (Brand)

Shape

Material

Data Management

Black Box (TOMRA TRAC) records all activity in the machine

I-Recycle Portalonline Data Management and Analysis


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Interactive Technology

TOMRA REACT (built-in interactive touch screen)

Website (have data flow through TOMRA database to website to manage

students and recycle points Unit will send text, email, etc. when at capacity (or close)


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Written Support (E-mail from [email protected])

Branden Dalley 4:32 PM (1 hourago)

Robbie Lusk,

The Union would love to support the recycling project outlined by Robbie. We will do everything we can to

identify a location to house this unit in a high profile area to attract as many students as possible.

Branden DalleyUnion Associate Director

Recycling Department and Contingency Plan

The Recycling Department will be responsible for managing this project. Joshua James

(Recycling Director) is the project advisor and has committed full support to manage and

supervise this in the future. While we are open to ideas about providing a percentage of

revenue to SCIF, at the moment it makes sense to use revenue generated to assist the Recycling

Department in management of the project in subsequent years. The current budget request will

fund the project for the first year. After that, the project intern will be hired and supervised by

the department. The internship will be paid for from a small percentage of income earned

through the projects operations. The responsibilities of the internship will include management

of the social media applications, website, and relationships with sponsors. He or she will also be

tasked with managing collaborative efforts with the project and recycling department as well as

other facets of campus sustainability movements.


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Conclusion

I am aware that this project may not be typical of SCIF initiative. It is a large

scale, campus-wide project that will involve not only campus staff but local

businesses as well. It requires a huge investment of time and effort from multiple

groups of people. However, I firmly believe that this project epitomizes what the

Sustainability Campus Initiative Fund is all about. We have the ability to reach

more students and to connect the community and the university in our efforts like

we never have before. Incentivizing and engaging the community is the next step

in transforming these sustainability practices only embraced by the

environmental friendly into a social norm, an underlying assumption as to the

way we do things at the University of Utah. Whats more: this is a profitableproposal. Not only will this project eventually pay for itself, we will be able to

provide substantial revenue to the recycling department. While I realize that

much of this is hypothetical, I am convinced that as this project gains steam,

sponsors will be lining up to get involved (Coca-Cola has already expressed

interest in supporting). I am committed to reaching out to local sponsors and to

establishing a web and social media presence in conjunction with the machine

and its campus-based initiative.

Other university campuses have already begun similar projects and are

having great success. We would be one of the first (2ndon the West Coast that Im

aware of); with a university and local community as focused on sustainability and

social impact initiatives as we have here in Salt Lake City, we have an opportunity

to set ourselves apart from the rest and make this a huge success. I implore you

to take a chance on this and show, yet again, why the University of Utah is one of

the foremost leaders in sustainability innovation.


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Written Bid from TOMRA

Ryan Drake Lee 7:30 AM (48 minutes

ago)

Hi Robbie -

Let share a little bit of a re-cap of where we are and what I think is the best solution for your needs.

RVM Model:

- Uno Promo

- T-820s do not have any local storage they are only configured as a face requiring dedicated

backroom operations

Set-up Requirements:

- Internet connectionstatic IP address

- 110V power supply

- Secure placement location, protected from weather and vandalism

Operational Requirements:

- Regular emptying responsibility and oversight

- TOMRA unable to provide service or maintenance as it is out of our service territory

- TOMRA can work with you to help you find a service/maintenance organization to provide service

if necessary (e.g., PepsiCo vending machine technicians, etc)

Pricing

- $14,000 - $16,000

- Range is based on actual, finalized shipping cost (I am gathering the estimate now)


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- $800 price reduction credit for 1-year service warranty which is non-executable outside of Tomra

service territory

Please let me know if you need anything else.

Best,

Ryan Drake-Lee

Director of Strategic Development

TOMRA OF NORTH AMERICA

Mobile:+1404.509.2103

Office:+1203.712.6185

Reverse Vending Recycling Initiative

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