If you are looking for a way to encourage plastic recycling, take a leaf out of Beijing's notebook. The Chinese city recently instituted an incentive where people could pay for their train ticket with plastic bottles.
Currently 34 different stations have Incom machines that tally up the value of your plastic recycling deposit. The calculated amount can be applied as a credit towards a person's pass or transit account. The machine has sensors to determine the composition and weight of the bottles, making the plastic recycling redeemable.
While this initiative will encourage commuters to recycle, China already has a flourishing PET recycling industry so it will face competition from "informal pickers" according to Fast Company's Co.Exist.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Plastic Recycling Incentives
- Incentivizing plastic recycling through rewards or credit systems.
- Smart Recycling Machines
- Developing machines with sensors to accurately determine the composition and weight of recycled materials.
- Sustainable Transportation
- Creating eco-friendly transportation options by combining plastic recycling incentives with transit services.
Where This Applies
- Waste Management
- Opportunity to develop innovative recycling systems and technologies to support plastic recycling incentives.
- Public Transportation
- Integrating plastic recycling incentives with transit services to promote sustainable transportation.
- Recycling Industry
- Enhancing competition in the recycling industry by incorporating rewards or credit systems for plastic recycling.
