A smart vending machine that rewards recycling

CanBank accepts plastic bottles and cans and, in exchange, gives out rewards like phone credit or promo codes for taxi services

Spotted: Egyptian startup, Zeroprime, has created a reverse vending machine that rewards people for recycling. The system is part of Zeroprime’s efforts to use technology to increase awareness about recycling and help waste collectors earn money.

The CanBank is a smart vending machine that gives out presents when you deposit rubbish. The machine accepts plastic bottles and cans and, in exchange, gives out rewards like phone credit or promo codes for taxi services. 

Zeroprime founder, Eslam El-Refaye created CanBank when he saw how communities earn money by sorting through rubbish and selling it. The smart machine detects what has been deposited and automatically sorts it for collectors, who sell it to factories.

The vending machine also plays songs and reads funny messages. The idea, according to El-Refaye, is to encourage people to recycle. CanBanks are already in places in public spaces like universities, and the startup plans to install them in supermarkets across the country.

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