rate of incorrect classification of recyclable goods) reduced from 30-40% to 2-3%(Kim 2018). In the month of August 2016 alone, waste contamination rates (i.e. Government entities may use data on the app to gain a more accurate portrait of the need for waste management facilities, while local businesses may seek out the detailed statistics on the app as a tool to understand consumer trends (Kim 2018).ĭuring the pilot testing period from August 2016 to August 2017, recycling rates for paper packs increased from 24.5% to 68% (Lee 2018). The Recycle Today initiative serves both as a tool to reduce waste contamination (as users are rewarded points only upon accurate classification) and as an efficient, tech-powered mechanism to collect accurate data on recycled items. Those who obtain a certain level of points may receive discount coupons accepted in neighbourhood stores or donate their points to forest-building campaigns (Kim 2018). Items lacking barcodes can still generate points if its photo is uploaded onto the platform (Bunlisugeo 2020). Users can then refer to the app for the amount of points generated from their recycling activity. The bins use weight sensors and barcode readers to detect and classify the waste item into the correct bin (Oyster Able 2020).
To use the app, users must find Oyster Able’s IoT-powered recycling bins in their neighbourhood. Oyster Able’s app “Recycle Today” attracts users with the two-pronged appeal of environmental protection and app-tech (the trend of generating side income from mobile apps). Thus, there was a need for an additional initiative to provide the “how” and “why” of proper recycling. Other than the vague desire to protect the environment, people are often short on time and patience and lack concrete motivation to study the details of minute recycling regulations. This is due to the high waste contamination rates arising from improper waste classification, which reached 38.8% in 2016 (Ministry of Environment 2018). In 2016, while recycling rates reached 58.5%, upcycling rates stopped at 20.8% (Oh, Kim and Kim 2018). rate of manufacturing new products from recycled material). rate of utilization of waste-classified bins), South Korea has surprisingly low upcycling rates (i.e. The bin incorporates IoT (Internet of Things) technology to classify recycled items and reward users with discount coupons and opportunities to donate to forest-building campaigns (Oyster Able 2020).Īlthough renowned for its high recycling rates (i.e. Recycle Today is an app-linked smart recycling bin invented by the start-up Oyster Able in 2016.