Dual benefit from Istanbul vending machines

Turkey – What do you do in a city where street litter and stray dogs are both significant problems? Turkish start-up Pugedon has come up with an answer: create a vending machine that dispenses dog food when plastic bottles are returned for recycling.

The Smart Recycling Box project has been launched at hotspots in Istanbul, the nation′s biggest city with over 14 million inhabitants and an estimated 150 000 stray dogs wandering its streets. ′Our vending machines aim to give these stray animals a brighter future, while also encouraging its users to embrace a healthy recycling habit,′ states Pugedon.

The vending machine is powered by solar panels, has a capacity of 800 kg and weighs 105 kg. Passers-by can simply insert their empty PET bottles; if they still contain water, they can pour it into one of the dog bowls at floor level.

Pugedon operates the Smart Recycling Boxes at no charge to the city, and recycling of the bottles covers the cost of the food.

For more information, visit: www.pugedon.com/en

Watch a video of the project at: www.bit.ly/RecyclingForDogs