First bulk machines for faster recycling of deposit cans installed in the Netherlands

Statiegeld Nederland has introduced new bulk machines to significantly speed up the recycling process of plastic bottles and cans. These machines, recently installed in Zwolle, Tilburg, and Dordrecht, among other locations, allow large quantities of packaging to be handed in at once. This initiative not only supports a more sustainable economy but also simplifies recycling for consumers. In Zwolle, where the machine was located next to 3FM's Glazen Huis, the collected proceeds were invested in a good cause: Metakids.

Many complain about the standard, cumbersome method of collecting beverage cans; this development may align with the growing demand for more efficient and hygienic recycling methods and could thus make an important contribution to the Netherlands' circular economy.

The new bulk machines, including the Tomra R2 at the Aldi in Dordrecht, make it possible to process large quantities of PET bottles and cans in a matter of seconds. This innovative technology provides a significantly more efficient and hygienic way of recycling. In Tilburg, a 'bulk feed' machine was also recently installed on Kronosstraat, where consumers can empty their entire bag of empty packaging in one go. The comments in this article show that not everything is perfect yet.

The retail sector reacts enthusiastically to this development. Pieter van Essen, project manager of POS Experiences at Aldi: “We are excited to test this collection machine in our store. Aldi wants to make shopping as easy as possible, and this technology can potentially contribute a lot to that.”