Mexican food chain Boojum has installed a ‘Reverse Vending Machine’ at one of its Dublin outlets that rewards customers for recycling plastic bottles and aluminium cans.
The RVM has been developed by Dublin-based Sensi, founded by Nathan Misischi and Dexmont Peña.
Unlike other RVMs that recognise items based on a barcode, the Sensi machine recognises the item's appearance. Once the machine accepts the item, it will give the consumer a digital reward voucher that can go towards Boojum menu items.
The RVM has been deployed at Boojum’s outlet on South Great George’s Street in D2.
Robert Powell, head of operations at Boojum, said the company was committed to sustainability and that he hopes the initiative would drive real change in consumer habits.
In Association with
"We are delighted to be working with such an ambitious sustainability focused Irish tech start-up," Powell said. "The George’s Street store is just the start, with plans in place to roll out the RVM technology across our 17 restaurants.
"This collaboration represents a strategic eco investment for us in a dynamic Irish company with an experienced team and a world-first disruptive product. As the government steps up its recycling targets through the EU Single-Use Plastic Directive, Sensi represents an innovative investment for Boojum to address our recycling efforts."
Sensi co-founder Nathan Misischi stated: "Our machine operates by only allowing the disposal of selected items. This leads to a virtually uncontaminated, high-quality collection stream of recyclable materials, good enough to go directly for processing without additional sorting, an excellent example of the circular economy in action.
"Once the item is verified, and disposal completed, digital vouchers are produced enabling a full contactless experience for the user. We are confident Boojum’s highly engaged customer base are going to love this new experience and look forward to working with the chain further in the months to come."
Powell added that Boojum is working with EY on the development of its long-term sustainability strategy. The company wants to develop a 10-year plan for the chain, addressing all company operations and how it can proactively become more environmentally and socially sustainable as a whole.
