Reverse vending machine recycling project in Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket, Haverhill and Ipswich celebrates anniversary

A reverse vending machine project which started as a six month trial is celebrating its first anniversary thanks to public support.

West Suffolk Council was the first local authority in the country to introduce the initiative which has seen 13,407 plastic bottles and 2,575 aluminium cans recycled, in a year.

The project has been led by the council and Trovr, the company which manufacture the machines.

Bury St Edmunds

Bury St Edmunds and Newmarket were the first towns in Suffolk to sign up, with additional funding contributed by Our Bury St Edmunds and Love Newmarket.

Cllr Gerald Kelly, cabinet member for governance, regulatory and environment at the council, said: “This pioneering approach serves as a model for other councils looking to implement similar programmes.

“By working with partners to combine innovation and environmental responsibility, the initiative has proven that communities are enthusiastic about recycling.

“The support received is a promising sign as we look toward the national rollout of the Deposit Return Scheme and other recycling initiatives to bolster our environmental resilience.

“By working with partners to combine innovation and environmental responsibility, the initiative has proven that communities are enthusiastic about recycling.”

Residents in Bury can recycle using the machines at West Suffolk College, the Parkway multi-storey car park and Howden, in Brentgovel Street.

They are rewarded for their efforts with points on a smartphone app.

These points can be redeemed in local and national businesses.

Newmarket and Haverhill

Recycling vending machines can also be found at The Guineas shopping centre in Newmarket and at Haverhill Leisure Centre.

Natalie Robinson, manager of Love Newmarket said, “We are delighted with the success of the Trovr scheme in Newmarket over the past 12 months which has raised awareness of sustainability in our town.

“We will continue to engage our businesses with the scheme to ensure users can redeem their points locally.”

College recycling

The Guineas Shopping Centre, Abbeycroft and Eastern Education Group are all partners on the project.

A spokesperson from Eastern Education Group said: “The success of the reverse recycling scheme at our West Suffolk College campus has led to the introduction of a machine at our Suffolk ONE campus in Ipswich, giving even more students the chance to take part in incentivised recycling and encourage responsible habits.”