Community retailer Scotmid Co-operative has introduced their first-ever reverse vending machine to encourage customers to recycle soft drink cans and plastic bottles. The eco-friendly scheme, called ‘Recycle and Reward’, has been launched for a three-month period in Scotmid’s South Queensferry store. Customers can return plastic and aluminium soft drink containers and receive rewards in exchange.
TOMRA Sorting, a leading partner for reverse vending solutions for collecting, reusing and recycling cans and bottles, has manufactured the reverse vending machine.
“We’re delighted to bring our 40 years of knowledge and machine innovation to Scotmid Co-operative to support this exciting initiative in the beautiful town of South Queensferry,” TOMRA UK MD Truls Haug said.
Scotmid Chief Executive John Brodie said: “Scotmid are really excited about launching this progressive initiative in our South Queensferry store – it matches our core values and principles as an ethical community retailer.
“Reverse vending machines have helped to transform recycling habits in Norway, Denmark and Germany and we believe that can also happen here in Scotland.
“We’re proud to have already forged a new partnership with Keep Scotland Beautiful and we look forward to seeing the initiative help to achieve the objective of a beautiful Scotland.”
The aim of the initiative is to reduce litter, improve the quality and quantity of recycled materials and increase opportunities for the public to recycle.
Derek Robertson, Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Scotmid on this exciting initiative. Litter is an increasing problem in Scotland and we believe people must change their behaviour and do the right thing with their cans and bottles.”
“We hope it will help encourage people to make recycling part of their everyday activities, removing the opportunity for single-use items like plastic bottles to become litter on land and in water.
“80% of litter in our seas starts life on land, and this vending machine is a great opportunity to show people they can take action on a local level to help keep Scottish communities clean, green and sustainable.”
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