A ground-breaking vending machine is the latest innovation in Middlesbrough’s drive to boost recycling rates.
Instead of providing bottles and cans in exchange for cash, the machine receives empties and rewards the donor.
The RVM100 reverse vending machine has been installed as part of a trial at the Community Grocery eco shop at St Barnabas Church in Linthorpe.
The Middlesbrough pilot – the first of its kind by a local authority in the UK - was suggested by Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke when he saw a similar machine during a recent trip to Scandinavia.
And if the trial proves successful, Middlesbrough Council chiefs have pledged to extend the scheme to other sites across the town.
The RVM - produced by Reconomy company EcoVend - scans barcodes on cans and bottles and provides a 1p voucher per eligible item.
The voucher can only be used against customers’ bills in the Community Grocery store, with annual membership of the shop costing £5.
The EcoVend can store up to 300 cans, with any surplus being recycled in the normal way by Community Grocery staff.
The move comes ahead of the UK-wide Deposit Return Scheme, due to be launched in October, 2027.
And this week the Mayor and Councillor Peter Gavigan, the Council’s Executive member for Environment & Sustainability, visited the Community Grocery to see the EcoVend machine in action.
Mayor Cooke said: “It’s vital that we all recycle as much as we can, and I’m pleased to see our recycling rates continuing to improve.
“Every little helps, however, and when I saw one of these machines while on holiday in Finland, I just knew we had to have them here.
“It’s a great way to recycle and do your bit for the environment, with the added bonus of vouchers to use in the Community Grocery.”
EcoVend Managing Director Travis Way said: “It’s really inspiring to see stores like the Community Grocery leading the way in helping people to turn their recycling into savings.
“By installing a Reverse Vending Machine, they’re putting money back in people’s pockets and helping them stretch their budgets further.
“That’s making healthy food more accessible and affordable for everyone, particularly those who are feeling the impact of rising supermarket prices.”
