Johannesburg - Imagine being able to buy airtime or even train tickets just by recycling your plastic bottles and tin cans.
The time for imagining is over with the introduction of reverse recycling machines at shops, stations and garages.
Although the concept isn't new, it's a first in Africa.
The idea is that for every plastic bottle or tin can inserted into the machine, the user earns points.
These can be accumulated and then used to buy something such as airtime, or a ticket on a bus or train.
Green advertising company Imagined Earth has imported seven machines, and has been placing them at venues across Joburg.
Brothers Justin and Christopher Needham have spent the last two years conceptualising their idea and customising the machines to suit the South African market.
Their aim is to change people’s attitudes towards recycling by providing them with an incentive.
Non-executive director Christopher said recycling was not a priority for many South Africans who found that putting food on the table was a daily struggle.
“How do you change that behaviour, that psyche? They can get something out of this,” he said.
For the first two months, the machines will be used on a trial basis, and points earned by users will allow them to enter competitions.
“At the moment our drive is awareness, and we want to see who is interacting with the machines and how.”
The first machine was placed outside the Guru coffee shop in Parktown North, Joburg. During the trial period, every 25th person to recycle using the machine will get a free coffee from Guru.
The Imagined Earth team were able to monitor and manage the machines remotely.
“The machine can take 1 400 units and it tells us when it's 60 to 70 percent full,” Christopher said.
Managing director Justin added: “We’re placing them at lower-volume locations to begin with, to test them.”
During the next phases, the team plan to build larger, more robust machines for busier areas, such as transport hubs, to target lower-income users.
Once these had been rolled out, they hope to align with the public transport system, allowing people to recharge their train or bus tickets using the machines.
“So you’ll travel for free while cleaning the environment,” Christopher said.
Imagined Earth hope that large corporate companies will use their corporate social investment (CSI) budgets to buy into the project in order to fund the rollout of the machines across the country and eventually into other African countries.
They also want to manufacture and service the machines locally in order to create jobs.
Justin said Imagined Earth would not be making money off the recycled waste.
“We don’t want to make money off the waste. So it will go back to a CSI initiative or to the user,” he said.
The company will make money by selling both wrap-around static advertising on the machines as well as digital advertising, which will be displayed on a screen on the front of the machine.
Marketing consultant Nata-sha Fromberg said: “From an advertising point of view, it’s creating a bit of a change. It’s interactive advertising with media value. It’s like a billboard, but there’s an incentive to be at that billboard.”
After downing a 500ml bottle of water, Fromberg showed The Star how the machine works. She pushed the “start recycling” button on a digital screen, prompting a circular slot to open. She popped the bottle into the slot, its barcode facing upwards. Fromberg entered her cellphone number on the screen, and a table popped up to show what she had recycled so far and how many points she had earned.
The machine was programmed to recognise the barcodes of most bottled and canned products, which is how it recognised what type of waste had been inserted into it.
People who use the machines will need to register on the Imagined Earth website to redeem their points.
This data can be used by the hosts of the machines to better understand their clientele.
Justin said stringent controls had been put in place to ensure users’ personal information was protected.
Fromberg said the brothers were passionate about the initiative. “What really tugs at my heartstrings is that they’ve invested their own money. These guys have really put their hearts, souls and wallets into something they really believe in.”
The Star
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