A ground-breaking machine that rewards people's recycling efforts will now be rolled out across Bahrain with the signing of a new corporate partnership.

Telecommunications company Viva Bahrain announced yesterday (May 12) that it was partnering with Green Vision Bahrain (GVision) to install 1,000 of its Reverse Vending Machines (RVM) in locations across Bahrain over the next three years, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

The machines will allow Viva postpaid and prepaid customers to exchange plastic bottles and aluminium cans for credit and other benefits.

In February, the GDN first reported on the RVMs, which were initially envisaged as working on a point-redemption system, after GVision signed an agreement with Beirut-based waste management firm Averda, which has designed and implemented the RVMs in more than nine countries.

“As a socially responsible company, we want to create awareness and drive change among the local community to actively contribute towards reducing and recycling waste for a sustainable tomorrow,” said Viva Bahrain chief executive Ulaiyan Al Wetaid.

“By making recycling more accessible through the setting-up of RVMs in strategic locations, we trust this initiative can turn into a nation-wide recycling programme contributing to keeping Bahrain litter-free.”

Commenting on the partnership agreement, GVision chairman Ahmed Salman Al Musallam said the idea contributed towards Bahrain's 2030 Vision.

“Such a national project is an exemplary contribution towards the economical aspect of the vision set for 2030 and is an illustration of the governments' support in line with the many signed regional and international environmental agreements,” he said.

“Viva is one of the leading telecommunication companies in Bahrain with the most socially active and influential initiatives in the community - many of which shall soon reflect our partnership in raising the community's environmental awareness.” - TradeArabia News Service