Project Executive: Robbie Lusk Project Advisor: Josh James (Recycling Coordinator) Faculty Advisor: Bradden Blair (Information

Systems)

12/6/13

Reverse Vending Recycling Initiative

The latest statistics from the EPA reveal that when it comes to recycling, we still have a long way to go especially for certain materials. In the US we generate over 4 lb. of municipal solid waste per person every 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

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. 2. 3. 4. http://www.reversevending.co.uk/ (United Kingdom) https://www.gbrecycle.com/ (East Coast Universities) http://revarecycles.com/ (Middle East) 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 Globehttp://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-recyclinginto-an/#ixzz1dMi3x2A7

Project Goals:
Connect with people who are recycling

Connect with people who arent recycling 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 revenue from local business sponsors; income would support project as well as the Recycling Department

How it Works

Register online or at the machine

Recycle your bottles and cans at the machine

See your results instantly, Play Challenges, and Redeem Prizes

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!

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

Statistics (Other Companies using Tomra Machines)

Aramco Corporate Compound (Saudi Arabia)

Greenbean Nov 08 LiveStats (2 years)

294,989 containers 50,246.96 lbs diverted from landfill 47,574.28 kWh energy saved

Campus Data for November 2013 (Greenbean)

Merrimack
Last Month This Month

Containers: 11939 2953 kWh Saved: 1658.63 418.07

Bentley
Last Month This Month

Containers: 14537 2723 kWh Saved: 2607.68 453.95

Tufts
Last Month This Month

Containers: 1994 926 kWh Saved: 416.36 209.43

Pepsico. Dream Machine University Campuses

2013-14 Campus Recycling Challenge Leaders
Sep 01, 2013 - Nov 08, 2013
Average Recycled Beverage Containers Per Kiosk

SCHOOL

LOCATION

Mountwest College Rider University University of St. Francis University of Maryland Baltimore County Joliet Junior College Florida International University Oklahoma State University Stillwater University of Pittsburgh Oklahoma State University Okmulgee Tennessee State University

Huntington, WV Princeton, NJ Joliet, IL Baltimore, MD Joliet, IL Miami, FL Stillwater, OK Pittsburgh, PA Okmulgee, OK Nashville, TN

4212 2703 2667 2275 2058 1246 1094 846 698 605

10

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)

 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 Portal online Data Management and Analysis

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)

Written Support (E-mail from bdalley@union.utah.edu)

Branden Dalley

4:32 PM (1 hour ago)

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 Dalley Union 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.

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 profitable proposal. 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 (2nd on 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.

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 connection static 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)

$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