New App Gives Players Real World Rewards for Virtual Recycling

A newly updated app for plastics recycling now rewards players with real-world products for virtual plastics recycling.

Bin It! 2.0, created by Plastics Make it Possible, teamed up with Earth911 and Recyclebank to encourage consumers to recycle more. Now, anyone who recycles virtual plastic bottles in the Bin It! 2.0 app, available for free for iPhone and iPod can win real world rewards from Recyclebank, such as clothing, food, and beauty supplies.

Bin It! 2.0 challenges players to recycle common household plastics like water bottles, shampoo bottles and milk jugs. Players try to toss virtual plastics into a recycling bin while navigating obstacles like animals and breezes.

Recyclebank points accumulate with every plastic item that makes it into the bin. For the next eight weeks, each player can earn up to 65 points, redeemable for savings on products from Recyclebank’s hundreds of reward partners in more than 10 categories, including food and beverage, health, beauty and home.

“Bin It! 2.0 is a really fun game – we’re hoping it will get people hooked on plastics recycling and remind them to ‘bin it’ at home, at the office, and wherever life takes them,” said Steve Russell, vice president of plastics for the American Chemistry Council, which sponsors the Plastics Make it Possible initiative. “Our partnerships with Recyclebank and Earth911 help educate consumers about how and where to recycle and offer tangible rewards to people who learn about recycling through the app.”

Recycled plastics today are being used to make a wide variety of useful products, from T-shirts to garden planters to furniture. New technologies allow recycling centers to process a broader range of plastics than ever before, which creates a growing amount of recycled plastics for making new consumer goods. These sustainable plastic products help divert valuable materials from landfills, thus closing the recycling loop.

“Recycling can be fun and rewarding, and we hope Bin It! 2.0 will inspire users to remember to take the same steps in their everyday lives,” said Raquel Fagan, vice president of media for Earth911. “Recycling every possible piece of plastic needs to be the norm, and there’s nothing like an addictive game to help you remember the recycling bin each time you’re done using these materials – at home or on-the-go.”

More Ways to Recycle: All Signs Point to Increased Plastic Bag, Film Recycling

In addition to plastic beverage bottles and caps, many recycling programs also collect plastic containers and lids, such as those from cottage cheese, yogurt, or margarine. It’s also easier than ever to recycle plastic bags and wraps, which are accepted for recycling at more than 12,000 grocery and retail store locations nationwide.

“Recyclebank realizes that to make a measurable environmental impact, we need to motivate millions to act in ways that create a more sustainable future,” said Ali C. Mirian, Recyclebank Ecosystem general manager. “With partners like Plastics Make it Possible® to encourage more plastics recycling, we can mobilize a massive network of people to make more sustainable choices. At Recyclebank, we are dedicated to showing consumers that leading an eco-friendly lifestyle is easier than they may think. In a fun and engaging way, Bin It! 2.0 emphasizes the importance of recycling while encouraging consumers to recycle plastics.”