Tomra Expands Greenbean Reverse Vending Machine Recycling Program for US Universities

SHELTON, CT -- Convenient recycling solutions are in demand on college campuses. So Tomra Systems has enhanced and expanded Greenbean, its bottle and can recycling incentive program for U.S. colleges and universities.

Greenbean makes it fun and easy for students to recycle their bottles and cans using Tomra's reverse vending machines on campus. Every time a student inserts a bottle or can into a Greenbean RVM, he or she can enter an email address to link to a rewards account, accessible via the Web.

Greenbean, which already includes seven institutions in the Northeast and Midwest, now includes Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. The first to participate were Harvard University, Brandeis University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northeastern University, Merrimack College, Bentley University and University of Southern Indiana. As part of the expansion, Tomra improved the Greenbean website, where students can track and manage their recycling points and rewards.

Students can save up points to earn rewards that can be traded for reusable grocery bags, gift cards and other prizes. They can also choose to donate their points to local charities. In bottle deposit states, where used beverage containers are worth money, students can have the deposit cash transferred into a PayPal account.

Funding for the Carnegie Mellon Greenbean program comes from the Pennsylvania Resources Council, an organization dedicated to protecting the environment through education, recycling, waste diversion programs and anti-litter campaigns. The PRC is working closely with metal manufacturer Alcoa to provide grants to colleges in non-deposit states, helping them develop on-campus recycling programs for used beverage containers.

As part of the Greenbean expansion, each college will also receive a new Tomra Uno Promo model RVM, which features a 10" touchscreen display, Internet connectivity, and an upgraded user interface and experience. On campuses, the recycling machines are generally placed in student centers or other high-traffic areas, often with vibrant four-color wraps featuring the college logo or mascot. Consumer product companies, the school bookstore or other organizations can sponsor a machine, with contests and prizes to promote their products or services.

"Greenbean is an innovative loyalty program that rewards students for recycling. It offers personalized incentives to drive engagement, and can even facilitate on-campus contests to generate excitement about recycling and other sustainability topics," said Tomra director of strategy and commercial software Ryan Drake-Lee. "We welcome discussions with retailers, consumer product companies or other organizations that would like to sponsor a Greenbean machine by providing gift cards or product giveaways in exchange for brand visibility and a dialogue with college students."