A subway station in Istanbul has become the first in that city to install reverse vending machines (RVMs) through which riders can add value to their fare cards by inserting aluminum used beverage cans (UBCs) or plastic beverage bottles.
According to an online article by the Istanbul-based Hurriyet news organization, the ITÜ-Ayazaga metro station in Istanbul debuted the newly launched RVMs in mid-October. The machines accept recyclable cans and bottles and then add value to a rider’s city transportation pass, known as an Istanbul Card (Istanbul Kart).
The RVMs are expected to spread to other metro stations in the city, according to the article.
Aluminum UBCs will fetch 7 Turkish kurus (1.3 United States cents) for a 0.33 liter can and 9 kurus (1.6 cents) for a 0.5 liter can.
For plastic beverage bottles, a 0.33 liter bottle will return 2 kurus (less than one-half of a U.S. cent); a 0.5 liter bottle will return 3 kurus (slightly more than one-half of a U.S. cent); a 1 liter bottle will return 6 kurus (1.1 U.S. cents); and a 1.5 liter bottle will return 9 kurus (1.6 U.S. cents).
With an average fare costing 2.6 Turkish lira (or 260 kurus), a rider needs to deposit at least 28 large plastic bottles or aluminum UBCs in the machine to earn the equivalent of a full fare, Hurriyet points out.
The city’s government nonetheless predicts the system will help boost recycling efforts in the city. “With these smart machines, our waste management department and Isbak (an Istanbul-based technology provider helping install the system) will contribute to the protection of the environment,” Hurriyet quotes Istanbul’s municipal government as having stated on Twitter.