News Release

Stagecoach and Aberdeenshire Council launch Scotland's first reverse vending recycling project

15th December 2008

Stagecoach and Aberdeenshire Council have launched Scotland's first reverse vending recycling initiative, offering discounted bus travel in return for used drinks cans and plastic bottles.

A hi-tech reverse vending recycling machine has been introduced at Ellon Park and Ride facility, which is used by 123,500 people every year, allowing commuters to recycle their waste and get cheaper sustainable travel.

This new machine will accept plastic drinks bottles and drinks cans. It is hoped the innovative green partnership will reduce landfill and encourage more people to take greener public transport.

Consumers will receive a Stagecoach green point for every item recycled at the facility, which they can then redeem for discounted bus travel and other offers. A total of 50 green points entitles the holder to a 20p bus travel voucher, while 100 points equals a 50p discount voucher.

Brian Souter, Stagecoach Group Chief Executive, said: "Climate change is a major issue for our customers and we are delighted to work with Aberdeenshire Council and the Reverse Vending Corporation on an innovative project that is a first for Scotland.

"This is a really exciting green partnership that can help local people turn their waste into cheaper bus travel, saving landfill and helping consumers cut their carbon footprint.”

Stagecoach, one of the UK's biggest bus operators, operates around 200 buses across Aberdeenshire. Services run every 20 minutes from Ellon Park and Ride, operated in partnership with Aberdeenshire Council, and the facility helps save thousands of tonnes in carbon emissions that would otherwise have been produced by car trips.

Councillor Peter Argyle, Infrastructure Services Committee Chairman, Aberdeenshire Council, said: “We are delighted to be part of this partnership with Stagecoach to launch Scotland’s first reverse vending machine.

"This complements the existing range of recycling services that the Council offers and will allow us to review how this kind of machine could be used in other locations.”

Formartine Area Committee Chairman, Councillor John Loveday, added: “This initiative is a great incentive for Ellon Park and Ride users. Not only are they helping reduce carbon emissions by using public transport, they will now also be able to boost their green efforts by recycling on site.”

The hi-tech reVend FR 600 machine, which has a capacity to hold over 2,000 items at a time, is supplied by the Reverse Vending Corporation, the leading UK distributor and operator of advanced reverse vending recycling technology.

It uses advanced barcode technology to identify, sort, collect and recycle steel and aluminium drinks cans, as well as plastic drinks bottles. In return, the machine automatically prints a ticket with a point for every item recycled.

Steve Stothard, Senior VP and Chief Technology Officer with the Reverse Vending Corporation, said: “We are delighted with the pioneering and foresighted decision by Stagecoach, in partnership with Aberdeenshire Council, to help the environment by installing the first reverse vending recycling machine in Scotland.

“Reverse vending recycling is proven technology. It has been used fore over three decades in continental Europe where the mandatory deposits on beverage containers are returned to the consumer for recycling their used cans and bottles.”

The recycled material will be collected and sorted by local group Ellon Can-do, which is part of Aberdeenshire Council's Social Work service and runs projects and a day centre for adults with learning difficulties.

Ellon Can-do already collects plastic bottles on behalf of the Council from public recycling points in the Ellon area and operates from an industrial unit close to the park and ride site.

Earlier this year, Stagecoach launched an innovative eco-partnership with Perth and Kinross Real Nappy Network (PKRNN) to offer a free a week’s free bus travel to parents signing up to use real nappies for their babies.

Stagecoach Group is continuing a major drive to make its own business more sustainable and attract more people to travel by bus, coach, train and tram. The company’s wide-ranging strategy includes investment in renewable fuels and cleaner engines, state-of-the-art energy efficient facilities, water and waste recycling initiatives and offering businesses green travel incentives for their employees.

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