EP886 Beverage Container Recycling Made Easier

 Ten states in this country have container deposit legislation, popularly called “bottle bills”.  The first one was passed in Oregon decades ago.  Container deposit legislation requires a refundable deposit on certain types of recyclable beverage containers in order to boost recycling rates.  First these measures were seen as an antidote to litter and an environmentally sound move.  As some states, like mine in Connecticut, have increased the rate from a nickel to a dime for returning those cans and bottles, not only has it raised the rate of returns sharply, but it has become a cottage industry for some living on the margins. And yet the process itself of taking the cans and bottles to a recycling center or having to put them through a reverse vending machine yourself is often cumbersome and messy.  Enter CLYNK.  It is a pioneering technology company that is working to revolutionize the bottle and can redemption process with its innovative “Bag Drop” system.  Founded in 2005, CLYNK’s patented platform is catching on.  Matt Prindiville, CEO of CLYNK, joins us to discuss the history of this recycling program, impediments to making it more ubiquitous across the United States and CLYNK’s role in making it more successful and a better user experience.

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