On-the-Go eCycling ‘EcoATM’ Debuts in Nebraska
What if you could recycle an old cell phone and receive a gift card in one step, without talking to anyone, paying fees or dealing with shipping?
That’s the concept behind the ecoATM™, a machine that is being tested at the Nebraska Furniture Mart in Omaha. It was installed last month, and although it currently only accepts cell phones, the company says it will soon be able to collect other portable electronics for recycling.
ecoATM is a 4-in-1 machine, judging the value of an electronic, collecting and packaging it and distributing rewards back to consumers. blkasdfjasldfj Photo: EcoATM.com
The ecoATM machines avoid the delay for payment, as well as any hassle involved with shipping. They are currently being marketed to retailers, with the ability to tie into rewards programs and provide gift cards catered to that retailer.
Electronics recycling has become a growing issue in the U.S. both because of concerns about improper disposal and the debate on how to collect these devices.
Because electronics contain valuable metals and reusable plastic, there is a market for businesses that specialize in electronics recycling.
Trade-in programs have grown in popularity among U.S. retailers, including RadioShack and Office Depot. These programs allow consumers to visit a Web site and select what they have, evaluate the condition to determine a trade-in value and then ship the devices off for recycling. Upon receipt of the devices, consumers are then mailed a gift card or other form of payment.
“We are extremely pleased with the initial results and consumers’ delight with the system,” said Mark Bowles, CEO of ecoATM, Inc. “Our automated ecoATM provides consumers and retailers an easy, convenient, incentivized method to convert those devices into real money instead of toxic waste.”
According to its Web site, ecoATM will eventually accept cell phones, mp3 players, video game systems and software, laptops and printers, digital cameras, LCD monitors, GPS units and more for recycling.
- ecoATM(10/01/2009). "ecoATM™ Installs First eCycling Station to Provide Only Automated Solution for Mobile Phone and Consumer Electronics Trade-Ins" http://www.ecoatm.com/ecoATMPR100109. Press Release.
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Bank on Better Things With the ECO ATM | Daily Greenz, the Blog from Greenzer.com
posted on November 4th, 2009 at 5:16 am
[...] California, Texas, Washington and Vermont by the end of the quarter. They’re also planning on expanding the electronics devices accepted by the EcoATMs to include MP3 players, video game systems and software, laptops and printers, digital cameras, LCD [...]