There have been so many thrilling developments in the field of recycling in recent years—from automated bottle return systems that use AI to identify materials, to plastic recycling processes that involve breaking the materials down to their chemical constituents.
By making recycling easier for consumers, less labor-intensive for recyclers, and all-around more efficient, all of these developments will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and minimize waste production, benefiting our Earth and the future generations who will live on it.
Here, we’ll focus on how CLYNK is a key player in the present and future of smart recycling, leading the way when it comes to game-changing automated bottle return systems.
Smart Recycling Tech Explained
As they continue to develop, smart recycling systems are making the process of sorting and returning containers more efficient, less messy, and easier for everyday users. Recycling innovations using automation, digital tools, and other tech are reducing waste and boosting recycling rates. Regardless of whether you’re more motivated by convenience or your environmental impact, these advancements are improving our recycling processes.
In particular, automated bottle return systems are transforming container recycling by making the process quicker and more user-friendly. At these self-serve machines, you can drop the containers off in seconds; they’ll automatically sort and process containers behind the scenes. By removing the need for manual sorting and long lines, these systems make recycling cleaner and more convenient than traditional methods.
How CLYNK Rewards Eco Habits
CLYNK’s bottle drop recycling system rewards eco-friendly habits by offering digital credits for every container that you return. This encourages more consistent recycling by making the entire process both easy and financially rewarding.
You can also manage your CLYNK account directly from the CLYNK mobile app, which allows you to track your bottle returns in real time as well as see your redemption balance. The app also shows your environmental impact in terms of how many containers you’ve recycled and how much carbon you’ve offset.
CLYNK’s Role in Reducing Waste
In general, recycling increases the production of recycled products since it creates more materials to create these products with. Because bottle drop recycling, such as that which is offered by CLYNK, is more efficient than standard curbside recycling systems (which are easily contaminated), more of the containers that you drop off will actually end up being recycled.
CLYNK’s multi-stream bottle recycling process results in nearly 100 percent recyclable plastics that are just about free from contamination. That’s why it’s no wonder that CLYNK has seen such remarkable results:
- CLYNK users have recycled more than 2.6 billion containers in total.
- The volume of containers that CLYNK has diverted is equal to over 30 major league baseball stadiums’ worth.
- CLYNK has saved as much energy as 602 million miles of car emissions.
- Using the same technology that CLYNK uses for bottle drop recycling, Oregon has reached a redemption rate of 90 percent, which is the highest rate in the U.S.
These numbers clearly demonstrate that when we make recycling systems easier and more efficient—as CLYNK has done with their bottle drop redemption system—people respond positively and the planet benefits as a result.
The Future of Bottle Redemption
Soon, features are likely to turn out to be even more exciting, with bottle recycling becoming even more efficient.
Upcoming innovations in recycling are expected to include AI sorting for complex and mixed materials. As our robotics and AI become more advanced and precise, this will allow more targeted and accurate sorting that saves on human labor and reduces contamination of the final product.
Also promising is the fact that scientists are studying new plastic recycling techniques (such as depolymerization and enzymatic breakdown) that allow plastics to be recycled indefinitely without degradation. This would be a paradigm shift for plastic recycling, since at present, the quality of the material degrades each time it is recycled.
How to Get Started with CLYNK Today
Joining CLYNK is easy, and you can choose the method that works best for you.
If you’d prefer to sign up from home, just visit the CLYNK website and create your account. After registering, you’ll be mailed a welcome package that includes everything that you need to get started with CLYNK: 10 recycling bags (free of charge!), personalized bag tags linked to your account, and your official CLYNK card for easy recyclable drop-offs.
Or if you’d rather take care of the easy registration process in person, you can stop by any participating CLYNK kiosk—click here to search for drop-off locations near you. (They’re often found inside or near grocery stores like Hannaford.) There, you can sign up, receive your starter supplies on the spot, and start recycling cans and bottles right away.
Need more guidance before you get started? Check out the FAQs page on CLYNK’s website for step-by-step instructions and helpful recycling tips.