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Project Highlights

01
Interaction and Gamification

Users recycle plastic bottles to play games, making the process fun and engaging.

02
Localized Leaderboard

To enhance competitive appeal, each machine’s leaderboard is localized.

03
Rewards and Brand Collaborations

Brands provide vouchers or discounts, turning Playstic into a marketing channel that boosts recycling motivation.

Our Project

  • What if schools or organizations have policies against plastic bottles?
    Playstic supports sustainability efforts by collecting existing plastic waste. It can also be customized to accept other recyclable plastics, aligning with institutional policies.
  • What makes Playstic different from other recycling programs or reverse vending machines?
    Playstic integrates gamification, education, and community engagement, making recycling fun and rewarding while encouraging long-term behavioural change.
  • What happens when the machine is full? Who collects the plastic?
    The machine notifies our team automatically, and we arrange for collection and transportation to recycling facilities. Schools and organizations hosting the machine receive full support.
Sea turtle swimming through ocean water with plastic debris entangled around it, highlighting pollution.
FAQ

For More Information

Small Actions, Big Impact

If Everyone Recycles,

Amount of plastic bottles recycled per capita

5-10 kg per year

The annual global recycling volume of plastic bottles will be

Approximately 7.5 million tons

What if schools or organizations have policies against plastic bottles?

At its core, Playstic is designed to complement these efforts by providing a solution for existing plastic waste, and there are more school that don’t have this regulation. Additionally, Playstic can be customized to accept other types of recyclable plastics, aligning with the sustainability goals of schools and organizations. By turning recycling into a fun and educational activity, Playstic supports these policies while promoting environmental awareness.

Close-up of a shoreline with waves gently lapping against the sand.

Is Playstic a one-off campaign or a permanent fixture?

For Playstic, to create lasting impact, a permanent fixture is essential. Once people become accustomed to the machine and its benefits, removing it could lead to frustration—especially if they’ve formed a habit of recycling through Playstic. For example, if we collaborate with brands, users might feel a loss if the machine disappears, wondering, “Where do I throw my plastics now?”

To maximize accessibility and convenience, Playstic machines can be placed in high-traffic areas, such as beside vending machines (e.g., iJooz). This strategic placement ensures visibility and encourages regular use, making recycling a seamless part of daily life.

Image by Kenny Eliason
垃圾分類
Recycled Plastic Sales

We collect and process plastic waste, which can then be sold to recycling facilities. While this generates revenue, the margins are typically low, especially if the plastics are contaminated (e.g., with food residue). To address this, we encourage users to clean their plastics before recycling and are exploring automated sorting mechanisms to improve efficiency.

Image by Kenny Eliason
Image by Keghan Crossland
Brand Collaborations and Promotions

A high-margin opportunity lies in partnering with brands. Companies can pay to include their vouchers, coupons, or promotional content in the machine, turning Playstic into an advertising channel. For example, brands could reward users with discounts or special offers when they recycle, similar to Shopback’s model, where brands are charged only when customers engage with their promotions.

Image by Kenny Eliason
藍色塑膠顆粒
Premium Recycled Plastic

By providing sorted and clean plastics, we can sell the materials at a higher premium to manufacturers looking for high-quality recycled inputs. This not only increases revenue but also supports a circular economy.

Our goal is to create a sustainable ecosystem where recycling is rewarding for users, profitable for Playstic, and beneficial for brands and the environment.

Turn Plastic into Play 

Recycle, Score, and Compete

Animated fish jumping out of the water, symbolizing ocean life and playfulness.
3D model of the rectangular Playstic machine with a rewards display on the left and a screen with a hoop on the right for edu

About Us

We provide young people with an interactive and rewarding recycling experience by incorporating gamified activities, hands-on participation, and meaningful incentives like toys, vouchers, and event tickets. By making recycling fun, convenient, and engaging, we help them develop long-term eco-friendly habits while strengthening their connection to real-world sustainability efforts.

Our Target Group

Gen Z recycles the least (27%, Statista, 2024), often due to a lack of engaging methods. Yet, as future world shapers, raising their awareness is crucial. Playstic makes recycling interactive and enjoyable to encourage participation. While designed for Gen Z, older users have also shown interest.

33.9%

Average Recycling Rate (Asia-Pacific) (2022)

$11,914.0M

Revenue for the Base Year (2022)

$33,354.9M

Revenue for Last Year of Study Period (2023)

30K

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30K

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30K

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30K

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30K

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30K

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What makes Playstic Different from other recycling programs?

Building on the concept of a reverse vending machine, Playstic enhances the experience by integrating gamification, education, and community engagement to make recycling plastic waste both fun and addictive. We understand the power of games to capture attention, and by leveraging this, we aim to inspire behavioral change in participants. Through engaging visuals and interactive elements, Playstic not only encourages recycling but also educates users about sustainability in a compelling and memorable way.

Scenic view of a sandy beach under natural sunlight, representing coastal environments.

Youngsters are drawn to interactive and competitive experiences, which is why Playstic incorporates a leaderboard to fuel their motivation. To make the competition more relatable and engaging, the leaderboard is localized—for example, if the machine is in a school, students will only see rankings from their own school. This ensures they can easily identify friends and rivals, making the experience more personal and exciting. A national leaderboard, while ambitious, can feel distant and less attainable, reducing the sense of competition. By keeping it local, Playstic creates a fun and addictive environment that encourages repeated participation.

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About Us

Gamified Plastic Recycling 

Points exchange blind box

Plastic collection (monster mouth) port

Plastic bottle collection basket  2

Pick-up port

Plastic bottle collection basket 1

Plastic lid collection basket

Wastewater collection basket

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Easy Installation

Simple setup process suitable for school environments.

CgAG0mGEmc2ANvyEAARsXcrxwUo619.jpg

Flexible Leasing

Cost-effective leasing model for easy access.

拯救地球

Educational Impact

Promotes environmental awareness through fun recycling activities.

Why Choose to Place Playstic in Schools?

A lot of schools are interested in recycling and sustainability efforts. For example, a secondary school suggested installing a similar machine in their canteen but hasn’t been able to do so due to limited expertise to build it. It’s perfectly fine to have the same idea—what matters is execution. Those who succeed are the ones who can actually bring the idea to life. Also we’re currently in university, so we can easily and quickly carry out operations. Secondary schools can be contacted through school partnerships to do the on-site testing.

Our Business

Playstic operates on a multi-faceted business model designed to be both sustainable and impactful. Here are the key avenues:

Contact

Nabila Ayu Dewanti
nabiladewanti@u.nus.edu

Cai Zhiqian

zhiqian@u.nus.edu

Chen Jiayi
e1351934@u.nus.edu

Contact us

Location

Engineering Auditorium,

9 Engineering Drive 1, Singapore

117575

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