Turning packaging waste into money with Imagined Earth

On the 18^th of September South Africa celebrated National Recycling Day. A day that seeks to drive awareness about recycling and educate South African’s about how they can recycle.

More than 8 million tons of plastic are dumped in our oceans every year, a statistic that is widely known and often referred to when discussing the world’s growing plastic problem.

This is one of the many reasons that the Ellen Mac Arthur foundation have start a vision around the new plastics economy. In this economy, plastic never becomes waste or pollution. Three actions are required to achieve this vision and create a circular economy for plastic. Eliminate all problematic and unnecessary plastic items. Innovate to ensure that the plastics we do need are reusable, recyclable, or compostable. Circulate all the plastic items we use to keep them in the economy and out of the environment.

Recycling forms a key part of this new economy model. It requires access to recycling solutions, education, and creating a framework that promotes buy-in from all parties. Imagined Earth is fully committed to the new plastics economy and offers an innovative and convenient solution to turn recyclable packaging waste in money in a digital wallet.

As part of the National Recycling Day drive Cape Talk’s Kieno Kammies chatted to Justin Needham about reverse vending.

Listen to the full interview here.

The SA Plastic Pact has been set up, in line with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy vision to help drive this change.

• Taking action on problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging through redesign, innovation or alternative (re-use) delivery models
• 100% of plastic packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable*
• 70% of plastic packaging effectively recycled
• 30% average recycled content across all plastic packaging

Today, 19 September, is World Clean Up Day. Our Blake Dyason is doing his part in Cape Town and we will share an update from today’s activities in the coming week.

Here a bit more about Imagined Earth and the work they have on the go.

Launched in 2015, Imagined Earth is a forward-thinking green tech and recycling business that allows you to earn money and rewards for your recycling your packaging waste through reverse vending machines (RVMs).

“We are living in an era of convenience and circular thinking. Imagined Earth, in partnership with business, provides a highly effective recovery tool that empowers people to live sustainably in these modern times,” says Justin Needham of Imagined Earth.

RVMs allow shoppers and recyclers to “return and earn”.

Utilising advanced recognition technology to identify the waste being deposited, these RVMs are programmed to accept commonly used, recyclable products, independent of where these products have been purchased.

Whilst, from a global perspective, the concept of Reverse Vending is not new,  Imagined Earth is the first company to introduce RVM  technology in South Africa. 

RVMs work much like regular vending machines except that they accept (empty) containers and dispense rewards. These “green machines” identify products by their barcodes and reward shoppers directly, either to their phone via SMS or into their digital wallet on the Imagined Earth app.

Currently Imagined Earth users are able to purchase airtime with accumulated rewards, Imagined Earth is also working with several other loyalty partners to announce further rewards programmes in the coming months and to help motivate more customers to engage in positive action around waste reduction.

“Recycling is one of the easiest ways every person and business can effectively reduce impact on the environment,” says Justin. “Technology is one of the best tools at our disposal in the fight against plastic pollution. The advantages of technology can extend beyond the needs of today to help preserve the future.”

Imagined Earth is a South African based company and proud partner for Africa for INCOM TOMRA and TOMRA. INCOM TOMRA Recycling Technology is a Chinese-Norwegian joint venture. While based in China, INCOM TOMRA are devoted to promoting smart recycling and the circular economy globally.

Get recycling (and rewarded) today by downloading the Imagined Earth App via your favourite app store (IOS and Google Play.)

Imagined Earth is also one of the finalists in the Eco-Logic Awards. On 12 August 2020, the finalists for the 2020 Eco-Logic Awards were announced. We were excited to see that two CN&CO partners had been nominated. The winners will be announced virtually on Monday the 21^st September.

Read the full story here.