OBS Lillestrøm achieves record-high bottle return volume four years in a row with help from the TOMRA R1 multi-feed
Lillestrøm, NORWAY: In 2022, OBS Lillestrøm was the store that processed the largest volume of used container returns in the whole country. This achievement was made possible through the allure of TOMRA R1 and the superior recycling experience it offers.
The superior recycling experience
TOMRA R1 allows recyclers to pour in over 100 empty beverage containers in one go – rather than inserting them one by one. The innovative technology makes recycling up to five times faster than single-feed solutions. Also, the process is much cleaner as recyclers no longer need to get their hands sticky by touching the containers.
In addition to the ability to empty many containers at once and with minimal mess, TOMRA Flow Technology means bottles and cans are scanned and registered with 360-degree instant recognition, resulting in a seamless and speedy experience. As a result, TOMRA R1 offers customers a superior recycling experience– one that is quicker, cleaner, and smoother than before.
A big customer magnet
A TOMRA customer survey found that among users of TOMRA R1 in Norway, Sweden, and Finland, they all preferred the multi-feed recycling that TOMRA R1 offers over single-feed recycling. The reasons cited were that time is saved, there is less physical effort, better hygiene, and cleaner bottle return areas in the stores. 40% of consumers choose where they go to recycle based on their recycling experience, according to a 2018 survey by TOMRA. Customers will even travel further to return bottles and cans if it means avoiding having to do so one by one, especially when they have large quantities of containers. Consequently, OBS Lillestrøm has become a very popular location for deposits.
Since we have such good capacity, it has also become very popular to deposit here. Many companies and sports teams come here to deposit large garbage bags with empty goods, so here there are people in front of the vending machines from morning to evening."
A new record with TOMRA R1 and Air Solution
OBS Lillestrøm is the store that collects the largest number of empty containers in Norway. Since the installation of TOMRA R1 in 2018, the store has been breaking records year after year.
In most stores with reverse vending machines, the collected containers end up in recycling bags which must be manually loaded onto return trucks by store staff. At OBS Lillestrøm, the process is now fully automated. Workers no longer need to spend time packing away the containers in the backroom. The new Air solution in combination with TOMRA R1, means containers are sucked through a pipe that goes directly into a container outside the store, which is then collected once per week and driven to Infinitum’s facility.
Marcus Løkkeberg is very satisfied with this solution. “It is a much smoother process in the back. With the huge quantities of cans and bottles we receive, handling the sacks and taking them out for collection had got to be a lot of work. We no longer need to do any of that, as everything is automatic. It also means less mess for the people working here and makes things even more efficient for the customers. I think some people come here because this is where they have the very best deposit return experience,” says Løkkeberg.
Thanks to this new solution, OBS Lillestrøm was able to take advantage of an even greater bottle return capacity and break Norway’s record for the largest number of bottles and cans returned, fourth year running. And, with 8.2 million containers collected, a new record has been set!
- 2019: 4.4 million containers collected
- 2020: 6.4 million containers collected
- 2021: 7.7 million containers collected
- 2022: 8.2 million containers collected
Installed reverse vending system
TOMRA R1 and T9 with MultiPac Air
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Designed for large supermarkets and hypermarkets
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Modular reverse vending system
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Accept cans and plastic bottles
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Collects over 100 containers at once
TOMRA T9 with EasyPac
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Designed for medium to large stores
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Accept cans, plastic bottles, glass bottles, and crates
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Modular system – up to to 7 cabinets
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Up to 60 containers / 21 crates per minute