iRecyle in Pretoria to reward donors of recyclable aluminium cans and bottles

An initiative to encourage people to recycle will launch on June 6 in Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa. The project will be launched with the introduction of a recycling machine that rewards donors of recyclable bottles and aluminium cans.

Mfundo Mkhize‚ project manager for Emvelo iRecycyle‚ said the first machine for collecting recyclyable aluminium cans and bottles will be unveiled at the Department of Environmental Affairs in Pretoria. Four other machines will be installed at the University of Pretoria‚ Wits University‚ Vaal University of Technology and University of Johannesburg.

The machines are about the size of a vending machine and host a portal where an individual creates a personalised ID that needs to be entered when one deposits recyclable bottles or aluminium cans.

Mkhize said the more one recycles‚ the more iRecycle points he gets to earn, which he can redeem later for various rewards in the form of gift cards‚ airtime‚ movie tickets or concert tickets.

The project will allow the creators of the machine to understand the needs of the community and reward them accordingly for their efforts‚ Mkhize said.