The Beat Waste Startup Challenge
Ecycler is a New Way to Recycle
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ecycler · Jun 11, 2010
Ecycler is a new way to recycle.
At ecycler.com we bring together those who have recyclables (cans, bottles, newspaper, etc.) to give away with those who want to collect those recyclables. Many households or businesses are not offered curb-side recycling; we’re giving them that option.
The collectors—or community entrepreneurs—will redeem the recyclables they collect for cash.
Ecycler further enhances the social value of recycling as the discarders will feel good about the environment and helping someone in need. They also have the ability to track their recycling in terms of the number of units and their combined carbon offsets.
We currently are trying to reach people who would like to become ecycler discarders; we hope to get businesses apartments and groups of friends to start saving their recyclables for their local collector. Also we are looking for people to become a local ecycler collector and pick up recyclables from the discarders.
20 comments in the discussion
ecyclerwritten 2 months ago
We would like to thank everyone who voted for ecycler, it's an honor. We are here to make this world a greener place--one can or bottle at a time!
craigwritten 2 months ago
Thank you for the insights. It is true that this is more of a challenge in dense areas; however, there are numerous municipalities and rural areas that don’t offer curbside recycling, and those are the places where we’re focusing our efforts. In addition to giving people in those areas a way to conveniently recycle, the goal of the site is to create a source of income for people who need the extra cash. We feel that given the troubled economy, there is no better time than now to offer a service like this. Given the success of sites like ebay and craigslist, we at ecycler have no doubt that people will be willing to take an extra few moments to post their recyclables. And when it comes to giving away recyclables for free, we are looking at kiva as inspiration. So far we’ve had great success in finding collectors when a discarder posts recyclables, but we’re hoping that by winning a contest, we’ll be able to get the word out to more discarders.
Jane Byrdwritten 2 months ago
In Berkeley, CA where I live, there are so many people scavenging curbside recycling that I doubt your program would work here without some adaptations. Do you have some ideas about that? Also wonder if people will be willing to add an online posting job to their routines of putting out their recycles, but I'm hopeful. Many parts of the country do not have any recycling at all as yet and your novelty factor might enhance their participation.
nustererwritten 2 months ago
Well done, ecycler!
mwallenrphwritten 2 months ago
ecycler rocks!
craigwritten 3 months ago
Thank you for link. I appreciate it.
bubbliebappiewritten 3 months ago
Here is an example in CT, http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2714&q=324834 but thanks for letting me know about NY!
bubbliebappiewritten 3 months ago
OH wow! I'll definitely look into it with my local wal-mart and grocery store!
craigwritten 3 months ago
Here is the NYC website that lists what retailers are required to do: http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycwasteless/html/at_agencies/more_resources.shtml#bottlebill Under NY State (not NY City) law, carbonated soft drinks, water, mineral water, soda water, beer, malt beverages, and wine cooler containers have a 5 cent deposit. Dealers must refund the deposit on all containers of the same type (brand, size, shape, color, and composition) they sell for off-premises consumption, regardless of where the container was originally purchased. A store may refuse to return a deposit if: • The store does not carry that type of container. • The container does not have a proper New York refund label. • The container is not in reasonably good condition. • A store may reject broken bottles or cans that are corroded or crushed. • The container has anything in it besides small amounts of dirt, dust or moisture. A store may limit a person to redeeming 240 containers at one time and in one day. However, the law says that a consumer may make 48-hour advance arrangements to redeem an unlimited number of empty beverage containers. Stores that are not open 24 hours a day do not have to accept containers during the first and last half hour of their business day.
bubbliebappiewritten 3 months ago
I guess they should, but they don't all necessarily! I'm not an expert of the whole country (obviously :-)), but I know in NY sometimes I have difficulty returning whole foods generic 365 tonic water to say, a Wal-Mart. Also, some bigger name products come in specialty sizes, and there are times where I've tried to bring it to my nearby supermarket and they won't accept them because they don't sell them! I believe it is a NY law to recycle, which is the main outlet in which NYers recycle. If my apartment building, for instance, is caught throwing recyclables in the trash shoot, we get a hefty fine that all residents split. I do love the idea of looking into giving a portion back to the discarders, I'm so glad to hear that you are working on it! I think that you'd have a lot of luck, even in NY where there is curbside recycling, if you offer this incentive. Great idea, and best of luck!