CareCollect transforms plastic and glass bottle recycling into a more accessible and dignified experience with a 3D printed trash can attachment that stores bottles. We aim to support individuals who rely on extra income from bottle recycling. Using CareCollect they collect with dignity, not shame! Our goal is to partner up with municipalities in the Netherlands and beyond, providing them the tool that create a cleaner living environment.

In cities like Rotterdam, recyclable bottles are often thrown into regular trash bins. This brings up two main issues. The first one is that there is a considerable amount of bottles that are lost in the trash bin and don’t end up being recycled. The second problem is the lack of human consideration. In the Netherlands and across Europe people can return recyclable bottles to supermarkets in exchange for money. For many this is how they get by. However, the only way for those in need to access these bottles is often by compromising their dignity, digging through trash, or tearing bags apart. With CareCollect this won’t be an issue anymore! We have designed 3D-printed bottle holders that would be attached to the side of each garbage bin in the city. This model will allow people to leave their recyclable bottles outside the bin in a way that is safe, visible, and accessible. Thus, the people who rely on this source of income will be able to easily collect the bottles without digging through the trash. By doing so we will be able to tackle the two issues aforementioned. Firstly, the amount of bottles collected will increase, therefore, encourage sustainability. Secondly it will bring more dignity to those who collect the bottles for extra income. With CareCollect we believe that every person deserves dignity, no one should be forced to dig through trash in order to survive! In conclusion, with CareCollect we have two missions: helping to fight against climate change by increasing the amount of recycled bottles and ensuring dignity to everyone.