EKOMAT Project, a First in Turkey, Started in Yalova!

The "EKOMAT" Project, which will be implemented for the first time in Turkey with the cooperation of the BIRCAM Foundation, GCA and Park Cam, was opened in Yalova, which was chosen as the pilot city. With the project, it is aimed to create recycling awareness and collect numerical data for the waste management setup before the mandatory deposit application.

On Friday, 17 June 2022, Yalova Governor Muammer Erol, Yalova Deputy Mayor Mustafa Tutuk, Bircam Foundation President Ömer Kızıl, GCA General Manager Dr. At the opening ceremony held at Yalova Raif Dinçkök Cultural Center with the participation of Abdullah Gayret and Park Cam General Manager Semih Özbey, the details of the EKOMAT Project were explained and the first bottles were recovered by the protocol. The EKOMAT project, which is supported by the Turkish Environment Agency and the pilot city of which is determined as Yalova, is financed by glass packaging manufacturers GCA and Park Cam, and the waste management operation is carried out by the BIRCAM Foundation.

Stating that they are happy to be a business partner in the project that will also contribute significantly to the recycling of glass, GCA General Manager Dr. Abdullah Gayret said: “The main purpose of the EKOMAT project is to contribute to recycling, as glass is a material that can be recycled endlessly, while at the same time raising awareness of consumers about this issue. With Ekomats, we will reduce the demand for new raw materials to be used in production, and at the same time, we will create recycling awareness in the society. With this project, we experience the pride and joy of being an example to the whole of Turkey.”

Park Cam General Manager Semih Özbay said, “We love our country and we want to leave a more livable world to our children, who are our future. We are also aware that if we do not make important individuals for the environment today, it will be too late tomorrow. As Park Cam, we have made significant expenditures on recycling activities since the day we were founded. We created sustainable glass waste management models by establishing the Bircam Foundation with Beypazarı, Uludağ, Kınık and Sarıkız mineral waters. It is our most valued project at EKOMAT, we look forward to your participation.”

BIRCAM Foundation President Ömer Kızıl said, “As part of the Ekomat project, an end-to-end integrated waste management system will be provided. Thanks to the national software we developed, the occupancy rates will be monitored with the integration of vending machines into the software. When they reach a certain occupancy rate, the field team will be messaged and instructed to empty the vending machine. We also use electric vehicles for the collection of waste, so we do not emit greenhouse gases to the receiving environment. I wish our Ekomat project, which is environmentally friendly in every aspect, to be beneficial for our country.” he said.

It was placed in different locations such as shopping mall, super market, marine.

In the project, which was designed with the theme of sustainability in order to realize 100% recycling of glass, plastic and metal beverage packages, 30 “EKOMAT” were positioned at 15 points within the borders of Yalova and Çiftlikköy Municipalities.

 

Field performance of deposit return machines will also be observed.

Within the scope of the project, which will serve approximately 100,000 people, the green glass beverage packaging wastes and the yellow plastic and metal beverage packaging wastes will be collected from the deposit return machines. EKOMATs supplied from deposit return machine manufacturers will be used indoors and outdoors, and their field performance will be constantly monitored according to user behavior. Thus, support will be given to the development of the most suitable machines for the conditions of our country. In addition, greenhouse gas formation will be prevented by using a domestically-made electric truck to unload EKOMATs. The project, which protects the environment in all aspects, aims to raise awareness of the public about sustainability and to implement recycling as a part of their daily life. In addition, the data collected in the project, which will last for one year, will be shared with the Turkish Environment Agency to support the development of the mandatory deposit application.

“EKOMAT”s will work with mobile application

The vending machines will work integrated with the "EKOMAT" application downloaded to the phones. Consumers will primarily download the application from the application markets and become a member. After logging in, they will be directed to the closest vending machine through the application. They will use Green Colored Ekomat for glass beverage packaging and Yellow Colored Ekomat for Plastic and Metal beverage packaging.

By pressing the QR Code button on the application, the QR Code that appears on the screen will be read to the relevant place on the Ekomat, and the vending machine will run. They will scan the barcode on the beverage packages one by one in the waste entry area and leave it on the moving belt in the waste entry area. After their transactions are completed, they will load the points they have earned into their accounts by holding down the button or the screen on the Ekomat.

The accumulated points will support the family budget.

Consumers can save the points they have accumulated through the application;
They will support their family budgets by spending them on Migros gift certificate, A101 gift certificate, Razer mobile game and Trendyol internet shopping codes.
GCA and Park Cam announced that they will increase the award prices in order to ensure the participation of consumers in the project. In the first month of the project, 25 kr per glass bottle, 10 kr for plastic beverage bottles, 15 kr for metal beverage cans. equivalent points will be distributed to those who are members of EKOMAT. Consumers will also spend more and earn more.

Mobile application link: https://www.eko-mat.com/apps.html

EKOMAT user guide video: https://youtu.be/iOduhUcE8sE

 

 

 

 

 

17.06.2022