Imagine a future where plastic waste is no longer a global crisis but a valuable resource stream. This is the vision RiPET and its environmental sustainability partners have pursued since 2020. Their approach centers on smart, connected machines that operate around the clock to simplify recycling and compacting plastic, making it accessible to communities, businesses, and consumers alike.
RiPET team members developed innovative technologies that not only elevate standards for selective waste collection but also enable full monitoring of the packaging they collect. With these smart machines, every stage of the recycling workflow remains transparent and efficient, deterring tampering and transforming plastic recycling into a modern, eco friendly experience.
Volume and emission reduction
At the core of RiPET’s breakthrough is a patented press capable of shrinking plastic bottles by more than 90 percent of their original volume. This feat, achieved by the Italian innovator, simplifies transport to recycling facilities, lowers costs, and cuts CO2 emissions substantially. The technology even enables storage of up to 6000 PET bottles per cubic meter.
Across Italy, RiPET eco compactors have gained traction through a collaboration with Coripet, a consortium recognized by the Ministry of Environment. This partnership has brought RiPET machines to major retailers such as Carrefour, Mercatò, Leroy Merlin, PAM, and Conad. Through the Coripet initiative, outlets can install an eco compactor donated to their premises, fully equipped with customized graphic design.
These eco compactors are more than practical devices; they raise environmental awareness. When placed at points of sale, RiPET lets customers directly experience the power of recycling and the importance of environmental stewardship. Participants can earn discounts and loyalty points, encouraging broader engagement with the circular economy.
Innovation and recycling data
Yet RiPET’s innovation does not stop there. The machines are compatible with Industry 4.0 principles, collecting data to boost intelligence and efficiency. Picture a system where machines and humans interact, exchanging insights to continually optimize the recycling flow.
The results speak for themselves. In partnership with Coripet, RiPET has installed more than 900 machines across Italy, collecting over 14.5 tons of PET daily, which equates to around 5.292 million tons per year. As RiPET expands, this is just the beginning of a broader, scalable impact.
Collaboration with industry leaders
RiPET does not work alone in its environmental mission. Prominent companies like Coca-Cola HBC Italia and Sibeg partnered with Coripet and selected RiPET eco compactors for events. These collaborations have featured in international showcases such as Milan Fashion Week, Milan Design Week, and the Coca-Cola Summer Festival, where recycling takes center stage with style and creativity.
Equal Nest also joined the green initiative by partnering with RiPET on a cleanup effort along the Rimini beaches on the Adriatic coast. There, the most eco friendly model of the RiPET compactors, known as la Ricicletta, shines. This pedal-powered bin operates without electricity, letting beachgoers collect and compress PET bottles while enjoying the sun and sea.
How do eco compactors work?
The mechanism behind eco compression is straightforward and accessible to everyday users.
1. Benefits for users:
Participants are encouraged to join the selective collection program by depositing bottles into the compactors. For every 200 points earned, equivalent to 200 bottles, users receive discount coupons, fostering ongoing participation and environmental awareness across communities.
2. Customer loyalty by supermarkets:
Supermarkets and shopping centers that install eco compactors can build lasting bonds with customers. Offering economic incentives in exchange for ecological actions helps strengthen loyalty and reinforces a supermarket’s commitment to sustainability.
3. Direct marketing of recycled bottles:
RiPET plays a key role in the efficient loop by purchasing collected bottles and sending them directly to recycling facilities. Selling recycled bottles promotes the circular economy and generates revenue that supports ongoing project funding and growth.
RiPay: Identification and registration technology
Users are identified via the RiPay app, which generates a unique ID for each participant. Activating the RiPET machine, the eco compactor scans bottle barcodes, creating a data record stored on a central server. This dataset enables precise tracking of packaging collected from each manufacturer.