With a population of 15-million people and a poor recycling record, Istanbul’s solid waste management has stepped up its recycling initiatives. A newly-introduced smart vending machines allows commuters to recycle plastic bottles and aluminium cans in exchange for credit on contactless transport cards. The Istanbul Kart (Istanbul card) is a smart card that can be used to pay for all forms of transport in Turkey’s largest city.
Commuters can preload their Istanbul cards with credit to avoid the long queues for new passes, however if there is also the option of topping up the rechargeable at machines across the city. With the use of recyclables, commuters can top up their cards without hurting their wallets.
Istanbul is ranked one of the worst cities in the world for recycling, seeing 18,000 tonnes of waste created a day, with only 12% of it getting recycled. The smart vending machines are therefore a big step in a more environmentally friendly direction. The machine works by adding a value to the recycled item that is placed in it, before crushing the item, shredding it and arranging the material for recycling. After calculating the item’s value, the machine loads a predetermined amount onto the person’s Istanbul card.
See how this smart vending machine works below.
