ReCyclePoints

RecyclePoints is a Nigerian waste recycling and social benefit venture that motivates people to recycle by creating value from their everyday waste.

It is a common sight to see the streets, drainages, roadsides and even dumpsites packed with recyclable packaging materials which are carelessly disposed of by users. This practice often poses environmental hazards to communities as they experience flood due to the blockage of water drainages by most of these recyclables which has become the fastest growing packaging option in the beverage and food industry.

RecyclePoints chose Lagos State as a pilot location to develop a point-based incentive model with which they collect water sachets, PET plastic bottles, used beverage cans, glass bottles, old newspapers and brown corrugated cartons from registered post-consumers and in turn reward them with points, which when accrued can be used to redeem household items and cash.

The collected recyclables are further processed at the Collection and Sorting HUBs (CoSoHUB) and thereafter sold to manufacturing/recycling plants who use the items as raw materials for the production of a wide range of items, including but not limited to polyester fibre, carpets, hangers, pegs, aluminium ingots, craft papers for making carton etc.

Subscribers to the scheme are given Green Cards, on which collected and counted items are recorded.
Recyclers get an SMS notification at the end of the week on the number of “Points” gained. Thereafter, the “Points” gained can be traded in exchange for equivalent tagged items available at the RecyclePoints “iRecycle Store”.

Redeemed items are collected from RecyclePoints' office or delivered to the Recycler directly on request. They also award bonus points for any environmentally friendly activity they promote or encourage. 

The 4 recycling initiatives are the following:

• iRecycle Network – targeted at individuals. Recyclable materials are exchanged for household items.
• WastePicker Initiative – targeted at individuals. Recyclable materials are exchanged for cash.
• Corporate Recycling – targeted at corporate establishments.
• Schools Recycling – targeted at academic establishments.

RecyclePoints works in partnership with the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) in waste recycling and sanitation advocacy.