In Istanbul, aluminum cans and plastic bottles have begun to be accepted as payment for metro fares and public restrooms, BFM TV reports.
Unusual vending machines have been installed at the İTÜ-Ayazağa metro station in Maslak, Istanbul's second-largest financial district. Recycling machines. These machines allow you to top up your Istanbul Card. The amount you deposit depends on the amount of waste you drop in. The machines accept plastic bottles and aluminum cans, then crush, shred, and sort them for recycling.
For one 0.5-liter plastic bottle, the machine adds 0.03 Turkish lira to your travel card. For a 0.33-liter aluminum can, the fee is 0.09 lira. To fully pay for one metro ride, you need to insert approximately 32 1.5-liter plastic bottles or 28 aluminum cans into the machine.
The aim of this initiative is to encourage passengers to recycle their own waste. Newly loaded transport cards can be used not only for the metro, but also on buses, trams, and public restrooms. By the end of the year, similar machines will be installed in 25 more locations in Istanbul, including schools and universities.
Finland is among the most active European countries in terms of recycling. Recycling machines for plastic, glass, and aluminum containers are widely available. Unlike Turkey, Finns receive a direct cash reward for recycling. For example, a liter bottle will bring €0.40, a can €0.15, and a glass container €0.10. All proceeds from recycling are issued as a receipt. This receipt can be exchanged for euros or used to pay for purchases in stores. It's important to note that the machines only accept containers purchased in Finland.
Subscribe to our channel in Yandex.Zen
Source: news.turizm.ru